Naminé
by Handwritten
Summary: Based off of Disney's 'Mulan'. Set in ancient China; Naminé, a young girl who was never able to find her place. Bound by the prejudice and injustice of her time. When her father is ordered to fight in the war, she will do all it takes to keep him home.
1. Prologue

**Naminé - _Prologue_**

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I have always been different.

**Always.**

But I tried my best to fit in. Be the typical Chinese daughter…

I just couldn't do it.

A part of me refused to conform to the moulding of all the other girls my age. Be dutiful. Be obedient. Get married. Have a son. Was that the only choice I had? There weren't any other paths to take? Apparently not, unless I wanted to break apart from my family.

I wasn't the first child to be born. My older brother, born a year prior, had died of a terrible fever soon after his birth. When my mother became pregnant with me, my father wished dearly for another son. To take his place. But alas, they were burdened with a stubborn daughter. Me.

And the day that they ordered my father to, once again, take his place in the war… well, I wasn't sure how it came into my head that I could change anything. My father had brought so much happiness into my life. He was the one who introduced me to painting - and encouraged me to pursue it, unlike the rest of my family.

I knew that if I was a male,_ I_ could go fight instead, and my family wouldn't have to suffer. My father wasn't in the same condition as he was the last time he fought; there was no doubt he would be killed, even if he was a great warrior.

If only I was born a son.

_But who says I can't pretend?_

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**Author's Note:**

So! I've decided to start a little story... I know - during my exams! Not such a good idea XD  
It's based off of the story of 'Mulan'. At first, I was going to change it to being set in ancient Japan...but there are just too many ties to the historical part of China in the story that couldn't be ignored :P

Review~ I'll be adding the first official chapter tomorrow.  
The chapters will be like my fiction 'Rest Easy'. Short. Easy to comprehend (means I can update at least every two days without any trouble, hehe).  
It's Namine/Roxas, but Roxas won't be coming in for some time, I imagine...


	2. Kairi

**Namin****é**** - _Kairi_**

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There was a family who stayed on our land. They came to us when I was seven; the young mother all alone, at the time. After finding out she was giving birth, her 'husband' had left her. A mother without a husband was least desirable, and her family immediately turned her out. Living by herself was no option, and she had come to my grandmother, who had always spoken to her kindly when she bought incense from her. I remember seeing my grandmother gently take her arm, and lead her into the dining room so they could talk.

Her daughter was only five.

My grandmother spoke to my father. They both decided that she could stay in the small room attached to the house. My grandmother introduced her to the young man who worked on our rice fields, and they wed four months later. I wasn't sure how much my mother had approved of the situation, but she didn't dare go against my grandmother. Even though it is said the father is head of the house - which in a way he is - it is really his mother who makes the final decisions.

The family built a small home on the far end of the property. They had two more sons. The father and boys helped in our rice fields, and the young mother often helped us in the kitchen; and during holidays, we would all celebrate together, like one large family. Their daughter - now fifteen - named Kairi, went to school, or tended to other chores. With only two years between us, she had been my friend from the very beginning.

"Naminé!"

"Good morning, Kairi." I smiled warmly. She returned it with a bright smile of her own, and she followed me as I crossed the small bridge over the stream. Kairi's raspberry-tinged hair was flying about her face, and her trim lilac working robe was tied up around her knees. I briefly wondered why Kairi was wandering outside when she should have been completing her chores back at the house, but I didn't comment. There were some similarities between me and the younger girl, and I was in no position to criticize her. Though I tried to set a good example when I could.

"Are you going to paint?" Kairi asked, looking pointedly at my blue cloth velvet bag which held my brushes, and some thick paper. We were walking underneath one of the many willow trees, and one of its long branches tickled my neck as we passed.

I nodded. "Yes. I think some of the flowers should have bloomed by now. And I finished my chores for now, so I have some time to relax."

"And tomorrow you meet the matchmaker! I can't wait until I'm old enough to marry." She told me, gazing upwards wistfully.

I tried not to frown, but didn't succeed. I didn't really like the thought of Kairi's dream simply being to be married one day, but I chose not to voice my opinion. When I was her age, I hated it when the older girls would preach towards me. I _still _hated it. And it was perfectly common for girls of all ages to long to be wed to a strong man.

"I'm trying not to think about tomorrow." I set down my bag. Kairi solemnly asked why I didn't want to get married.

"I don't think it's what I'm ready for right now. I... had other plans for my life."

_And getting matched up with a complete stranger definitely wasn't one of them._

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OKAY. So I guess I'm going to be really straying from the Mulan storyline...but I just really wanted to write my own take on this! :D  
Next chapter (tomorrow) will be a bit more about Naminé herself, and the chapter after that - we're gonna start heading to the MATCHMAKER. I'm so excited~!

Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and alerts :)  
First review: SillySally  
Longest review: KeytoDestiny


	3. Perfect Daughter

**Naminé -_ Perfect Daughter_**

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_Please…let me make my father proud. My mother. My grandmother, and grandfather. Let me be the perfect daughter._

I bowed in front of the stone spirit blocks of my ancestors. Today was the day I was to meet the matchmaker, who would try to find me the perfect husband... _if _she approved of me. The butterflies wouldn't leave my stomach, and I was stuck with an uncomfortable fluttering feeling.

When I was younger, I had a small disobedience streak. I was constantly scolded by my tutors for not following their instructions properly, or daydreaming instead of working. It wasn't like I _purposefully_ did those things - but I couldn't stand being trapped in those stuffy rooms. It was always too warm, yet they would keep the small fire in the corner well fed. Eventually, the windows were covered with pale yellow paper screens, so I would stop being distracted by the outside view. This only made my daydreaming increase. I remember how the heavy lilac perfume of my tutor gave me a headache.

As the hours would pass, my boredom would grow. Soon I would be thinking of dipping my feet into the cool ponds in our garden, or painting something by our family's temple, instead of concentrating on whichever lesson I was working on.

Of course, there was punishment for my wrongdoings - my grandmother insisted that I no longer practice my painting during my tutoring if I continue to 'rebel' against my teachers. I was heartbroken when I found out the hour that I would usually have to paint would instead be used to perfect my stitching.

"Until you learn how to act properly, any of your painting shall be completed outside of your tutoring hours."

I needed to act obedient and quiet. Be the perfect young girl. So I did. Whenever I caught my mind wandering to better things, I quickly snapped it back to my work. It took over four months for my grandmother to be convinced that I had shaped up, and I was allowed to paint in class again.

It was another way to hide who I was. And I needed to make sure that my built-up act was airtight. Tomorrow would be a fatal day for my mask to slip. The matchmaker was of high importance, and without her help, it would be near impossible for me to obtain a worthy husband. And while my parents didn't speak of it, I could tell that money would soon become a problem within our estate. A husband could save us.

_Just let me survive tomorrow. Please._

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**Author's Note:**

A bit more about Naminé's side... :) and her granny. Hehe. It's a short chapter, I know. But the next one will be longer, I promise~  
And thanks to kinmoku2 for pointing out my 'Kimono' mistake in the first chapter...I left a few Japanese terms, because when I first started writing, I was going to change it to be in ancient Japan ^-^'

First review: ken08002  
Longest review: Caitlyn-4479


	4. Preparation Begins

**Naminé - _Preparation Begins_**

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The next morning was a blur of preparation to meet the matchmaker. She would be visiting with at least one hundred other girls today, so I needed to stand out as a suitable and charming young woman. I had a bit of a reputation of being somewhat...different, so today was the day to break down those conceptions. I was bathed in a cool concoction of lavender and other scented oils. My skin felt unfamiliarly smooth as they slowly dressed me in one of my most precious robes. Heavy green silk, while the bottom and my sleeves were adorned with the tiniest, most carefully stitched blue and green buds of pond lily's.

A darker green section of material was wrapped more tightly around my waist, and my diaphragm protested painfully. Another woman, with frighteningly cold eyes, did my hair. She fingered the tips of my blond hair with a raised brow. The colour was one of the most unusual things about my mother's side. No one was sure how it had exactly come into the family - my guess was that one of the first wive's had an affair with a foreigner along the way, as shameful as it was. My unusual hair colour resulted in unwanted attention. I could never sneak out to the market as some of the other more 'adventurous' girls did, as people recognized me almost immediately.

It was like having a giant arrow pointing at your head - it was too easy to be spotted.

My blond hair was set in the traditional design at the back of my head, and the roots of my hair ached by the time it was finished. Different pins adorned with tiny colourful jewels was woven intricately through my hair. Against my wishes, my face was powdered until I could feel the layer shift every time I opened my mouth. They painted my lips a deep red, and decorated my blue eyes with more makeup. I felt like I was attending a wedding. Or a funeral.

Finally, they gave me the shoes I was to wear. The slippers were laced with satin, and while they pinched my toes, I couldn't help but admire them. They were light on my feet; and such a pale green, the white thread laced along the sides seemed almost vibrant. Finally, I was finished. One of the women led me to a full-length mirror, and stood back, carefully examining my outfit top to bottom, checking for any mistakes. As I looked at my reflection, my nervousness doubled.

I sighed with relief as my mother led me to our carriage (and was scolded for doing so - sighing wasn't on the approved list) and in a matter of minutes we were trailing through the busy streets. My stomach was in knots, and I was thankful I hadn't eaten much. I watched the vendors, who were just starting to sell to the morning crowd. Everyone was bustling along, somehow finding a way to talk amongst each other while doing their shopping.

My mother leaned over, and untied the ribbon holding the curtain in place. The material fell across the window, and I leaned back against the cushion silently. My mother didn't give me any words of encouragement, until we had left the busier part of the town.

"You'll do fine, Naminé."

I couldn't answer, in fear I would throw up. She seemed to understand.

"We're here."

I slowly stepped onto the street. It was alive and bustling with other girls, all wearing bright and colourful kimonos. As subdued as the chatter was, there was an edge of nervous excitement in the air. The day had come to show what we had spent our entire lives learning.

_Ready or not…here I come._

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**Author's Note:**

I hope everyone is excited for the next chapter...Naminé VS. Matchmaker!


	5. The Matchmaker

**Naminé - _The Matchmaker_**

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There were at least twelve other girls who still had to go before me. I could tell my mother was displeased with this - not so much because I would have to sit there for a few hours - but because the mix between the heat and my nervousness may result in some unwanted perspiring. My mother led me close to one of the emptier windows in the hall, and I let the spring breeze brush across my cheeks. Then with a small smile, told me she would be waiting in the carriage, expecting good results when I returned.

With each name they called, one girl would shakily make her way up to the doors, and another would leave. The girl departing would either look pleased, hopeful, or downright worried. No sign of any tears yet. The Matchmaker must have been feeling kind this morning.

Finally it was my turn.

With unsteady steps, I approached the open screen. The scent of so many different spices mingling in the air made it difficult to breathe, but I held myself straight as I finally came face to face with my worst nightmare.

The matchmaker was someone who paired up the eligible women to suitable, yet compatible husbands. But not just anyone could be a matchmaker - supposedly, a matchmaker had to be someone who could match couples to result in many sons. All based on the family's history and bloodline. I had a hard time believing in this, but everyone I had ever talked to stood by it.

This particular matchmaker was stricter than most. In the past, I had even heard sometimes they had been kind women, often making good acquaintances with the women. But in the past decade or so, they had changed, in a way. I suppose it was because more and more young women weren't deemed as "suitable" as they had been before. The older traditions and rules were slowly coming to be ignored, or dropped off entirely.

Her hair was pulled back even more tightly than mine, and it made her face looked almost pinched on the edges. Her mouth was slightly puckered, as if she was tasting something unpleasant. She carefully looked me over, while I stood quietly. I had a small torso, and I noticed her look at it in displeasure.

While she carefully quizzed me on different aspects of a women's life, I grew more and more relaxed. _This isn't so bad._ I thought foolhardily. _I was worried for no reason. Even if I don't support what I'm talking about, I know how to speak as if I do._

When she made a simple comment about me being proud of my father going to war for the second time, my ease momentarily let me answer truthfully. When I informed her that, no, I didn't feel honoured because of it, she glared. Her voice hardened, and I realized my mistake.

"War is a great honour for your family."

"How can being killed be seen as an honour? Couldn't staying home and protecting his family be seen as an honour?" I replied quietly, trying to control my voice.

Her lips twisted in disgust. "Don't be foolish, you shameful girl. If your mother had good enough sense to have more sons, there would be no need for your father to go in the first place."

My cheeks reddened at her words. _How unfair of her to goat me; insulting my mother! _Our words quickened, being thrust at each other until I made another fatal mistake. When reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair into my bun, my elbow bumped the shaky table. The rest went in slow motion as I reached forward. But I was no match for gravity.

The matchmaker gasped in horror as her teacup slowly wobbled precariously on the edge of the table; shrieking as it dropped into her lap. She leapt back, but it was too late. The front of her lovely pale red robe was stained with tea, and anger was pulsing in the air around us.

My fine clothing and good posture wasn't enough to impress the matchmaker. Being so opinionated about something as looked-upon as war… there was no way to overcome that flaw.

"You bring shame to your family. You will never be a bride! Get out, impudent girl!" The matchmaker hissed at me. I gasped, turning around; quickly making my way out of the stuffy room. As I strode meekly out the front doors, the fresh air once again came to caress my skin; but it didn't calm me. Tears threatened to fall, and my chest rose and fell unevenly. As I pushed my way through the crowd outside the building, I heard the whispers.

"I knew something like this would happen..."

"-always been different, that girl-"

"What about her family?"

The bits and pieces of broken conversation cut through me like knives. I saw the carriage ahead; saw how my mother's face fell as she took in my expression and the stares. She opened the door, and I leapt inside, no longer caring. My mother didn't hold me, or comfort me, and I didn't want her too. It would only worsen the pain in my gut.

I leaned my head back, trying not to cry. Humiliation struck me like lightening.

_But how my father will feel..._

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**Author's Note:  
**I _was_ thinking about making the matchmaker a KH character...but I just couldn't bring myself to XD haha.

First Review: KeytoDestiny  
Longest Review: KeytoDestiny (haha!)


	6. Stranger's Reflection

**Naminé - _Stranger's Reflection_**

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Hours later, my mood hadn't changed. The trip with my mother had been silent; the both of us choosing not to speak the entire time. I didn't know if that was good or bad.

I was sitting in our family's ancestral temple. The news of how I had offended the matchmaker traveled quickly, and my family had retreated to the living room when I came home. My father was still working, and wouldn't be back until near dinnertime. It was a small consolation - I wouldn't have to see his disappointed expression for a few hours yet.

One of the good things about my family was that they knew how to stay away; personally, I felt it was easier to deal with this type of thing without a group of family members hovering. So I was alone.

As the sun began to set, I grew chilly, only clad in my formal robes (even with as many layers as I had, the wind easily swept through). But I remained kneeling on the floor, gazing at marble blocks covering the walls, even though the cold floor only made me shiver. I could see my reflection in the polished marble, which was cleaned daily; the Chinese engravings cut up my reflection, creating scars I never had. My powdered face was even paler in the small amount of light, and a tear slipped down my cheek, leaving a clear track on my skin. I followed it with my finger, and when I pulled it away, there was a thin white coating.

I didn't recognize my reflection. This girl... looked frail and helpless. Like a foolish child.

_Why on earth did I challenge the matchmaker, of all people? On such an important day? _My body shook with the realization of what I had done.

With the sleeve of my robes, I wiped at the ink and powder clinging to my skin. Glancing up, my broken image stared back in pity, more tears forming. My blue eyes shined silver, and I quickly shut them. I sobbed harder. _Will I ever belong here? Or am I meant to be somewhere else? _I prayed to my ancestors for guidance.

I thought of my father, who had tried so hard for so long to make our family name stand for dignity and honour. And I had brought that all down in ruins. This was almost as bad as being caught with a man before marriage. The matchmaker refusing to find me a husband? It was beyond humiliating.

And worse, my father would be heading off to battle the next morning.

When I opened my eyes, the frustration still lingered.

_Is it really too late to change things?_

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**Author's Note:  
**For the next week, I'm going to be updating every _other_ day. :o Sorry about that. But next monday, I'll try to go back to daily ;D

First Review: KeytoDestiny  
Longest Review: KeytoDestiny (again :O)


	7. Take Your Place

**Naminé -_ Take Your Place_**

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I snuck silently and swiftly into my room. I slipped out of my robe; letting it lay in a crumpled heap on my floor. I agonizingly took out every pin from my hair, tying it back into a bun. I washed my face, and held ice against my eyes until they weren't quite so puffy.

Just in time for dinner, I entered the room. We were all silent at the low table. My grandmother and grandfather had apparently retired early, and my mother, father and I sipped our tea, each lost in our own thoughts.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I set my cup down firmly, and my parents paused to look up at me.

"You shouldn't have to go."

"Naminé." My mother said warningly, while my father answered almost immediately.

"It is an honour to protect my country and my family." His tone and expression aggravated me into talking back.

It wasn't only my father who was at stake here. My poor mother. The long months of waiting for a letter - to confirm he was still alive. That he was surviving the war. It nearly broke her the first time. The weeks and weeks it took for her to rise out of her self. To resume living her life. That was when my grandparents had moved here from their separate housing on the estate. They said that grief had taken over my mother, and she would be unable to take care of me.

It was too soon to have her ripped away again.

My hand flew out in exasperation, and my mother's lips tightened. "You've already fought once! You shouldn't have to go again! Can't they find someone else to take your place?"

I felt it before I saw it. My mother's hand rebounded against my cheek, leaving me seeing stars as she drew back. "I think it's time _you_ found your place." She said angrily. The words hurt more than her strike.

Without a sound, I flew out of the room. I resisted stomping on the woven floor mats, or slamming the sliding screen to a close. I strode angrily across the small courtyard, and down the steps to the small statue pavilion. I sought out my favourite spirit protector - the water dragon. His sleek stone body curved and twisted around a small stone pillar, long horns protruding from his head.

I leaned against the cold rock, tilting my head to the sky. I stayed like that for ten minutes, willing my body to relax. My feelings were churning uneasily in my stomach, and I gently rubbed my hand over my abdomen.

Biting my lip in thought, I looked down at my chest. Even just at fifteen, _Kairi's _breasts were more developed than mine.

_You know…it wouldn't take much to hide these..._

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**Author's Note:  
**Someone's a-plottin'!

First Review: Sovereign Beta  
Longest Review: Caitlyn-4479


	8. The Decision

**Naminé - _The Decision_**

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It was as if someone - someone _strong_ - had taken over my body. There were no second thoughts as I walked quickly through the hallways. Not a moment of hesitation as I snatched the roll of parchment on my parents bedside table. No tinges of regret or sadness as I replaced it with the inking brush they had given me. My parents didn't awaken as I kissed them both softly on the forehead. Usually, such affection was not acceptable, but I felt my heart finally quiver with some remorse as I slid their door shut behind me. No matter how strict they were, they truly did their best, and it was more I could have ever asked for.

Moving to the dark kitchen, I held the knife with shaky hands. Grimacing, I pulled my long, blonde, hair back. Closing my eyes, I cut swiftly through it; I felt the pain of killing away what I had spent so long growing. It was part of my pride. Women were to have long hair. Slowly I was breaking the ties I had here.

I looked back in the mirror. It was jagged, and I severed off the longer bits until it was left hanging at my chin level. Pulling my short hair tightly, I tied it in a traditional knot at the back of my head. It was what the men must do. My eyes were bright with anticipation, and I could feel energy running like a current to the tips of my fingers. I was doing _something_, at last.

I moved down the hallway, into the colder side of the house. The room where my father visited with the city officials. Silently, I opened the door where my father stored his armour; a mixture between dark metal and a thick, deep green cloth. It smelled of lands I had never seen. It was too large for my body, but I tied it tightly against me, and it stayed. The weight felt good on my shoulders, like it was meant to be there. The sword was heavy in my hand, and I strained to hold the blade up off the floor. But the handle fit perfectly against my palm.

Outside, the rain was still coming down. The shoes I now wore didn't slide in the mud, and I ran quickly into the stables a ways away from the house. Quickly, I prepared one of our horses. It took me a few tries to get the saddle belt to fit snugly against the horses stomach, but I moved as fast as I could. For once in my life, I felt my first sense of freedom as I rode out of the front gates.

Little did I know, but just after I looked back at my home one more time, my grandfather retreated from the window from which he had watched me leave.

_I'll be back soon._

_I hope._

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**Author's Note:  
**I recommend listening to the song _'The Decision_' from the Mulan soundtrack on youtube... ^o^  
I'm planning on doing my 'Fanfiction Friday', which I'll be publishing a oneshot/new chapter every friday throughout the entire summer! :D So be sure to put me on author alert.

First Review: disneyfanatic09  
Longest Review: SorasKey


	9. The Capitol

**Naminé - _The Capitol_**

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Being so early in the morning, I didn't meet many people along the road. Mostly villagers and townspeople getting an early start to wherever they would be selling their goods that day.

The Capitol, even though hidden from view from our small home, was no more than a day's travel. I had left the house just as dawn was breaking, and I reached the Capitol by late afternoon. My stomach complained, and I finally broke down and spent some of the little money I had on a small meal. The rice was dry, and the vegetables soggy.

It felt surreal to be walking amongst so many strangers. I had only been to the Capitol once before - for the ceremony held in my father's honour - and I felt utterly confused as I nibbled on my food. I noticed other men staring challengingly into my gaze, and I fought the automatic urge to look down at the ground. I tried to remain inconspicuous - what would be the point of calling attention to myself?

I practiced my "male voice" when asking people for directions. Apparently they had carts going out to the camps regularly, and my knees shook as I approached a man examining the documents ensuring our identity. The lineup was long, and by the time it was my turn, my back was damp with sweat. He was tall, and had square shoulders - he was meant to be intimidating, I could tell.

He glanced sourly at me from under his eyebrows, and I held my chin up to look strong. After a few questions about my family, he let me through. With a well-rehearsed scrawl, my scroll was signed with the thin brush. I showed the papers to two other guards before they pointed towards a rather crowded cart. It smelled of sweat and grime, and there wasn't a clean place to sit. The others ignored me, and I ignored them.

No one spoke to me on the trip there. I sat near the corner, flustered by the lurid conversation. Soon, I tuned it out, and once again dreamt of sitting with my father in his study, discussing a painting. Or sitting under the willow trees with Kairi.

Poor Kairi. If there was one person who I would have wanted to talk this over with…it would have been her. She would have understood. Kairi was frightfully determined, and even more impulsive than I. And now I had disappeared without a word…would she feel betrayed? Or would she somehow understand…I didn't have another choice?

_Dear little Kairi. I'm going to miss you._

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**Author's Note:  
**Sorry for the delay :) This friday is my last day of school...  
Good news! Roxas will be appearing next chapter, I believe ^o^ since you have all been so patient, I'll be adding that chapter tomorrow!

_capitol - a group of buildings in which the functions of state government are carried out_


	10. Roxas

**Naminé - _Roxas_**

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The camp was further away from the capitol than most of us expected. We didn't get there until early the next morning, and I staggered out of the cart with the last of the troops; though I was told there was another dozen carts still driving down. They told us not to set up our tents until we were assigned to our different assemblies, so most of us got a bite to eat or took a walk to ease our cramped legs.

Finally, mid-day, I was told along with the others that we were to line up, so we could be sorted. A group of men wearing decorated armor (the _Shang Wei_, or captains, I heard another man whisper loudly) walked along them, checking the scrolls of identification we each carried before giving us the name of whichever category we fell into. These were to be our assemblies, I assumed. I actually knew a fair bit about the war and how it was done, because of Kairi's younger brother, who continually pestered my father until he explained everything to the bone.

Looking at the backs of their heads, it was easy to spot the younger boys and men. I imagined I would be grouped with them, perhaps to do some extra training, beforehand? I fidgeted in my spot, waiting anxiously to be examined.

I peeked to my left. A young, foreign boy was walking along our line. It took me a few moments to realize that _this_ was our captain. He was tall, but his shoulders were slim like his waist, and he wasn't nearly as bulky as the other captains.

"His father is one of generals." I overheard a boy say behind me, quieting as the boy drew nearer. My thoughts came to a stop in surprise. Up close…_he couldn't be older than nineteen!_

Finally he stood in front of me. His hair was blond, and his eyes were blue. And I could tell he noticed our similarity. _I wonder..._ I kept my gaze steady, even though my knees knocked once against each other. I felt nervous under his gaze.

"And just who are _you?_" He asked me gruffly. His sharp eyes appraised me from head to toe. I struggled with the parchment attached to my hip, and after a few moments of trouble, I handed it to him. I bit my tongue.

As he studied it, his eyes widened. "The_ Fa_ family?" He looked at the armour that was too big for my body, and how I was constantly leaning to one side because of the weight of the sword. "I didn't think there were any sons."

I fumbled with my words, shrugging. "I've been away-"

I barely finished the word before he interrupted me. "I see." He said, uninterested as he looked over my signed document. "What's your name, then?"

My eyes widened when I realized he wouldn't be calling me by my last name (which made sense, since in comparison, my status was pretty much moot here). I stuttered. "U-Um…Kai." _Sorry to deface your name, Kairi. _I thought quickly. _But it was the only thing I could think of. Forgive me._

"Well." He thrust the scroll back into my arms, and I fought the urge to glare at him. "Let's see how you do then, _Kai_."

_Why did that sound like a challenge?_

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**Author's Note:  
**Don't worry - you'll be seeing more one-on-one interaction between the two later :D and he won't be such a grumpus, hopefully.  
I decided to take out any Mushu-like character...I'm making this a bit more realistic... I.E - no talking guardians :P sorry.

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**Important:  
**_I want your opinion!_ - Do you want Roxas to find out Namine's true gender similar to how Mulan is discovered in the movie? I was thinking about Roxas finding out earlier, but not /telling/ Nami...kinda like in Hana-Kimi or something :O Just tell me what you think, okay? ^.^ I already have a few different endings in mind, so it's not too big a deal.

Talk to you all in a day or two!


	11. Training I

**Naminé - _Training_**

* * *

"_Kai!_" Our Captain, Roxas, threw the _tambo_ (a light yet strong bamboo stick, about three feet long) in my direction. My hand felt sensitive and bruised, but I managed to keep my grip on it. I tried to follow the others as we went through the basic attacking moves, yet I knew I stuck out like a sore thumb (literally), as Roxas continually glared at me. I tried, though. Honestly. But when you've been taught to take small steps and never even _tire _yourself, it's difficult to adjust to a new lifestyle overnight.

My first night in the imperial army had been one disaster after another. After I struggled to put up my tent (no one offered to help, obviously), my night was continually interrupted by nightmares. Lurid dreams of being attacked by a masked man with a sword; not knowing how to fight back. And when I awoke, I swore I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen.

The morning in our training camp was a bustle of activity. After getting dressed, and downing a quick bowl of watery broth and some rice, I finally found where the rest of my assembly had gathered. We were to begin our training immediately - and it would continue for at least two weeks, while we were assessed. Some of us would continue ahead, while others would stay behind.

While we waited for Roxas to come out and begin this session, I listened to the hushed conversations floating throughout the group. These men gossiped like my grandmother.

"I wonder how easy it was for him to be promoted - his father is a war hero."

"-heard he's arrogant - I guess we'll see just how-"

I stopped listening. What would be the point of getting a certain idea in my head, when I didn't even know him? It's what people did with me, and I hated it bitterly.

But I noticed some truth in what they said. Roxas was young - how on earth could he already be qualified to run an assembly? I'm sure his father had something to do with it.

"Keep your elbows down!" Roxas yelled at one point, darting forward. Unexpectedly, he struck the side of my shoulder with his own weapon. I fell forward, yelping in pain. Nothing too serious, but I knew my shoulder be sore for at least a few days. I fought back my tears, staring angrily at the ground as he walked off. I heard the chuckles of the men around me, laughing quietly at the boy who couldn't even block a simple attack.

I knew I shouldn't be angry at Roxas for it - he was just proving a point. But I couldn't help but feel a bit resentful towards him.

When another boy swung his tambo by my ankles, knocking me onto my back, I was seething.

_You stupid ingrates. I'll show you._

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**I've also written chapter 12 and 13... we're going to be introduced to another new character... :)  
Thanks for all the great ideas, everyone! There were lots of different opinions and suggestions, and I'll try to work something out that suits everyone :D

(By the way, yes, I will have something similar to the scene where Mulan bathes in the river...XD such pervs, you guys.)


	12. Mealtime

**Naminé - _Mealtime_**

* * *

"That's all you're eating?" One of the younger soldiers asked, staring incredulously at my plate. I flushed, noticing at once how everyone else's plates were piled high with food. I had been taught to not stuff myself, never look like a pig. But it was too late to go back and get more food.

"Stomach ache.." I mumbled, leaning to pour myself some tea. The boy shrugged, and turned back to his food. I grimaced as he began shovelling more and more rice into his mouth. _Where does he put it all?_

There were no cloth napkins to wipe our lips with, and I shrugged before taking a bite. I tried to hold my chopsticks with a certain casualty, as the other boys did, but my fingers kept automatically slipping into the proper way to do so. And I knew some of them noticed, since the boy sitting across from me watched with raised eyebrows. He wasn't the type of guy you would easily forget - he had screaming red hair, and was tall enough that he towered over most; thin and bony fingers, and equally thin lips curling into a smile in my direction.

I turned to the brunette beside me. "I'm Kai." I said, trying to sound friendly (truthfully, I was so tired I could hardly sit still without feeling drowsy).

"Sora." He mumbled around a mouthful of food.

"Nice to meet you." I replied, gingerly taking a sip of the warm tea. It was incredibly salty and bitter*, but I managed to swallow it down.

"Same here." Sora grinned; grains of rice were scattered around his mouth. I couldn't help but smile back.

_There's a friendly face after all._

_

* * *

_

**Author's Notes:  
**Sorry for the short chapter - but I've really been rethinking where I'm going to take this story (you guys gave me so many ideas :D) so I'm trying to fit as much as I can in.

*** = No idea what this tea is called, but it's relatively cheap, so it was pretty common. I've had it. Bleah :P  
**


	13. Sora

**Naminé - **_**Sora**_

_

* * *

_

Sora looked younger than most of the others. And after dinner, while waiting in line to wash our plates, I asked him about it.

"Yeah, I just turned sixteen about four months ago. How about you?"

"I'm seventeen and a half." I frowned. "You don't have any older brothers?"

"Nope." Sora said quickly. "It's just me and my mother. She didn't want-…" He shrugged. "There was nothing else I could do. But sometimes, you don't have much choice in the matter."

Sora looked pretty strong, for his age. _But he's so young... should he really be fighting?_

I nodded understandingly, and Sora looked me up and down. "And you're part of the Kazumi family! You know, when my father was around…he told me some stories about your dad from when they were in the same assembly."

"Really?" I was surprised. I had heard my father was excellent in battle, but for a father to tell his son stories about another man…he must have been really impressive. My chin lifted with pride I hadn't felt before.

"Yes. Funny you and I should run into each other. Ae you a naturally good fighter? Or have you been trained a lot?"

My smile dropped, and I mumbled my excuse. "My father has gone through some injuries, so he hasn't really been able to train me much-"

Our conversation was cut short when we realized the line had moved forward quite a few seconds ago. The red-haired man was behind me, and pushed my shoulder lightly; I almost toppled over in surprise. "Move it, tough-guy."

"S-Sorry." I muttered, stepping forward.

"So you're Kazumi's son…" I faced the red-haired man again as he spoke quietly. It was weird how he talked; his lips hardly moving, yet the words managing to be heard. There was one perfect word to describe him... _sly. _He reminded me of a snake, and the ways the light flickered off his eyes reminded me of flames of a fire. He didn't scare me - but he was intimidating.

_But "I'm" a man! I can't show that I'm afraid!_

"Yeah. I am." I said quickly, glancing back at the line to make sure it hadn't moved.

A grin flashed across the man's face. "He must have been really hurt if they sent you instead." He once again assessed me, giving me the same look all the other men had. "_Really _hurt."

I frowned, but didn't reply; Sora changed the subject, his voice unsure. I knew there was no point in getting into an argument over it, with this tall, lean man - especially in my current state (tired, about to collapse).

Once again caught in my thoughts, I missed how the line had moved forward, and someone yelled for me to walk ahead.

_This may take some getting used to..._

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**:D I realized I had forgotten to write this chapter... (eek! a character with no background story! XD) since someone asked why Sora was in the army in the first place :P  
Another update tomorrow...hopefully!


	14. Training II

**Naminé - **_**Training II**_

* * *

The first few weeks, I was worried that at any moment, someone would come to take me away. Wrongfully acquiring the needed documentation to take part as a soldier _was_ a big deal, no matter the reasons. And pretending to be male…_unheard of_. But, if anything like this had been done before, I could understand why it would be kept quiet. For generals and captains to be fooled into thinking a woman was a man…well, it wouldn't look good, no matter how sexist it sounds.

But once a month had passed, my worries began to fade. Of course I constantly thought of my family. How long did it take them to figure out what I had done? The missing documents from beside their bed must have been enough. Were they angry, or scared? Disappointed? Since no officials had questioned me, I assumed they hadn't gone to any type of authority about it. Most likely, I would be sentenced to death if I was discovered.

_Though at this point, maybe death wouldn't be so bad. __Better than the torture I have to go through every day._

After the first week of trying to keep up with the others, Roxas finally pulled me aside.

"Kai, how much have you trained before this?" He said, voice stern.

"N-Not much, sir."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I think you're going to need extra practice in order to be ready in time with the rest of the troops."

I nodded, dreading it already. _Extra practice? I'm sore enough. _

"Don't worry, Kai," He grinned. "I'll make a man out of you yet."

_

* * *

_

"Soldiers!" Roxas stood in front of our line, wearing a light jacket over his bare chest. I had trouble looking away from the strip of exposed skin. "So far...I haven't exactly been pleased with your training. So I've decided to do this -"

He took a bow and arrow from one man, pointing it straight at our line. We all shifted nervously - before he grinned and aimed at the long wooden post sticking straight up out of the ground. It looked as if it were a mile high. Pulling back on the string, Roxas hardly squinted before letting the arrow go. It flew up, striking the very top of the post with a _thunk_.

"By the end of this...hopefully, at least one of you will be able to retrieve the arrow.

Some of the more confident men murmured how easy it was, but Roxas held up his hand. "There's a catch." He knelt down beside a box to the side, picking up two strong ribbons. At the end of each ribbon, there was a large, heavy metal.

"One stands for strength," He tossed it to one of the soldiers, easily knocking him to the ground. "And the other, perseverance. You need _both _to reach the arrow."

One by one, we left for lunch. A few of us stayed behind, attempting to climb the post with each metal dangling from their wrists. None were able to get up more than a few feet.

Obviously, I scuttled off with the rest of us too cowardly to give the thing a shot.

* * *

Training was unlike anything I had done before. My legs and arms were in constant pain - the extra training really wasn't helping. My shoulders were never without tension. I attained my first scar, and managed to burn my hand when we were learning how to make fires.

The other soldiers mostly ignored me. I was considered small-fry. I was slim and weak in comparison, so they only paid enough attention to occasionally pick on me. _I hope they don't see right through me._

The only thing I showed up the other boys was archery. I wasn't sure where this 'natural talent' had come from. Actually, from what I've heard, my father was weakest with a bow and arrow. His strongest attribute was his sword-fighting, and ability to take on new fighting techniques.

I could shoot the centre of an apple from a distance away (though that took some practice, it came easily to me), and even Roxas had to praise me. I had never realized the beauty of shooting an arrow from a bow, yet there was a certain grace attached to the weapon. When I would draw the string back, it was as if all my senses came to life. For those few precious moments, every muscle in my body awaited my command. The bow would quiver with tension, and then I would release. As soon as the arrow was clear from my bow, my hand had already reached back to set another one in it's place.

It was a second nature. An art. A part of me that I didn't even know existed until now.

_Whoever gave me this power…thank you._

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**I decided to make this chapter a bit longer, since I don't think I'll be able to update until late Tuesday or Wednesday D:  
I'm adding random lyrics from the Mulan songs, so look out for them :3


	15. His Smile

**Naminé -_ His Smile_**

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity of training, I could finally feel my arms and legs developing. I was strong. I wasn't sure at first, but I thought Roxas had noticed I wasn't nearly as weak as I was at the beginning. Well. He no longer grimaced whenever he looked at me, anyway.

I wasn't getting so winded from our early runs - I could keep up easily with the rest. And because of our long hours of training, I was eating more…so I didn't stand out _quite_ so much when we had our meals. Even if I stuffed myself silly, my metabolism seemed to be running so high, my stomach remained flat. Though while the other boys were bulking up, my muscles stayed small and hidden. _Defined,_ but not obtrusive. And I actually liked it that way.

Back home, I had never gotten along with any girls my age. We just didn't..._click._ Yet here, Sora and I bonded almost immediately - did that mean I was more suited for friendships with males? Then again, Sora was the friendliest person I had met in a long time. He was cheerful, and his kind smile at the end of a long day made it easier to keep going. We became fast friends, and this helped integrate me into the others who had earlier shunned me. Even the crude redhead (Axel was his name) talked to me from time to time, though it usually was to comment on my fighting. Axel was a terrific fighter - light on his feet for such a tall frame. He was an even match for Roxas, and those two were constantly sparring.

It was sometime later that I realized Axel and Roxas actually were _friends, _although I never found out how they met. Axel never talked about his past, and I could never bring myself to talk to Roxas about it.

It was after we had eaten our dinner. There were only a few of us left - Sora, Axel, and a couple others - we were just laughing at a joke Sora told, when Roxas entered the large food area. We immediately fell silent, staring into our empty plates. Axel on the other hand, merely grinned, tossing a hand into the air.

"What'sa matter with you guys?" His voice rose. "Roxas! Come an' sit down, will ya'?" To our surprise, Roxas conceded and took a seat across from Sora. And he didn't complain when Axel jokingly threw his arm over his shoulders, telling him to loosen up. In fact, he cracked a smile while we all stared in shock. None of us had the guts to treat Roxas so loosely.

Roxas grudgingly joined in our conversation, but it took us at least five minutes to stop staring at him uncomfortably. He was usually so serious, but he seemed more relaxed at the time. Axel began telling a ridiculous story from back when he was working as an apprentice (for what, I wasn't sure. Something involving metal, and a lot of fire) - and by the end, we were all clutching our stomachs in laughter.

Trying to catch my breath, I glanced around the table. My eyes landed on Roxas, who's head was tilted back as he laughed harder than any of us.

_Wow. _I thought as I stared in awe. _Roxas…_

…_has such a beautiful smile._

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Hooray for constant updates! :D Next chapter should be out on Thursday~!


	16. Vexen's Challenge

**Naminé - _Vexen's Challenge_**

* * *

A few days later, I was walking back to my tent after dinner. My mind drifted as I wandered in between each tent (my tent was at the far end of the large field - of course). Just as I was passing one of the official's tents, I heard voices. I edged closer before pausing to kneel, pretending to inspect my shoe, curiosity tugging at my senses.

"-ready for battle? Don't be ridiculous." I easily recognized the nasally tone of one of the government's officials - Vexen.

"They completed all their training, and right now, they're pumped. The last thing I want is them getting bored-" The other speaker was Roxas.

"So what if they get bored." Vexen retorted quickly. "I'm not going to send a bunch of young men out to be killed just so they have something to do."

I heard a large thump. "That's not what I meant. Right now, they're inspired. To work, and to improve. We need to challenge them, or they'll never progress. If we keep them cooped up in this camp, they'll start taking the safety for granted...this...this opportunity-"

"Listen, boy. Just because your father is a General doesn't mean you can pull strings. Don't try to use your influence on me."

There were a few moments of tense silence before Roxas spoke quietly. "I earned my position fair and square. My input is just as valid-"

"Not to me, it isn't." Vexen paused. "Listen, Roxas. I'm not much of a gambler, but..." My ears strained to catch every word. "The day one of your soldiers retrieves that arrow you used as a goal at the top of that ridiculous post, I'll consider it. That's my final word." He chuckled.

The tent quivered, and I didn't have time to back away before Roxas had thrown open the flap, his boot colliding with my side. I landed on my butt in the dirt, grunting. Roxas, recovering from his reel, sent me a scathing look before walking away.

I hesitated a moment, before following him at a safe distance. I felt concerned when I noticed how his hands were balled into tight fists at his sides, and his shoulders were taught with tension. We walked for about five minutes, until we reached the edge of the forest. Roxas was running his fingers through his hair, and when he spotted me standing a few meters away, he grudgingly waved me over.

"I don't…" He paused, looking at the ground. "I can't stand it when they don't take me seriously. They treat me like a kid. As if - as if the only reason I'm even here is because of my father." He looked like he was ready to punch the tree, though he merely set his fist against its trunk firmly.

I bit the inside of my cheek, unsure if I should speak. When Roxas watched me expectantly, I took the leap. "I-I was in a similar situation…you know me - I can't fight! And my father was an amazing warrior. Everyone expected me to excel. They figured the only reason they even let me come here was because of my father's earlier position."

Roxas groaned, rubbing his hand over his eye. "But you've improved. A lot. You've proved all of...us...wrong." He smiled grimly, and I felt myself blush at the compliment, before speaking.

"You can prove it to them as well. Even if Vexen doesn't agree…you're our captain. Your opinion has to count somewhere, right?"

Roxas was nodding, and his shoulders finally relaxed a bit. "You're right. Getting so frustrated with Vexen…won't do much to help my case…"

I smiled down at him. I was happy to be of help…happy to be someone Roxas could talk to.

_Happy to be here._

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**I am officially finished with EVERYTHING to do with school! So I celebrated with some more interaction between Namnam and Roxoodle.


	17. Sora's Discovery

**Naminé -_ Sora's Discovery_**

**_

* * *

_**

In my tent, I was stripping of my armour after the long day. I scrunched my nose in disgust at the smell of the shirt I wore underneath. I never realized how much I sweat in a day until I was undressing. After a moment's hesitation, I quickly tore if off. I fumbled with my bag, looking for something clean. _Gross, gross, gross, extra-gross, gross-_

"Kai!"

I spun in alarm as Sora entered my tent. And at his squeak of surprise, my legs almost failed to support me.

_No…no….no..._

My mind went into overdrive. By the time I managed to cover my chest, Sora had already turned away, covering his eyes.

"I'm so sorry!" He whispered hoarsely. "I-I…I don't even…"

Tears gathered in my eyes as I managed to finish dressing. Sora remained frozen in the entrance.

"Sora. You can turn around." I mumbled.

Sora opened his eyes slowly as he turned. He clapped his hand to his cheek as he appraised me, almost looking faint. "Why didn't I see it…before?" He shook his head. "This is…" He paused again. "I feel so stupid. I can't believe this."

Our eyes met. "Please, Sora! Don't tell anyone." I said as he took a step backwards. "I can't leave now. I-I need to stay. I can't let them take my father again. He's too weak to fight...I just couldn't." To my astonishment, Sora took the few steps towards me, and handed me a cloth to wipe my cheeks.

"And you came instead? Do they know?" He looked worried. Almost like a protective brother.

I told him everything. I soon got over the shame of being exposed (though Sora swore he only caught a glimpse, I still flushed) and I was glad I still felt comfortable around him, though Sora seemed more nervous than usual.

I told him about my grandfather, and how he had never been proud of me. And my mother, who tried so hard to support me, but was afraid because my grandmother and her had never really gotten along. And how I needed to do something with my life other than become someone's wife.

When Sora finally left my tent, he gave my wrist a gentle squeeze. "So do I know the real you, now?"

I nodded. "I hope this doesn't make it…different."

"It won't." He smiled. "Not too different, anyway. Goodnight, Naminé."

_If only everyone would take it this easily._

I shook my head as I tied my tent's flap securely closed. Sora still carried his innocence with him. He didn't realize how getting involved with my crime could affect him; there were certain consequences to living a lie in the army.

_For example...death?_

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**I figured Sora's the kind of guy who truly cares about what's on the inside :D let's just see if he can keep a secret.


	18. To The Top

**Naminé -_ To The Top_**

**

* * *

**

"You're not serious." Sora rasped, looking up at the arrow. "I can't climb that high!"

"Please, Sora? Can you at least try?" I begged - literally, begged - watching him as he surveyed the post, with the arrow stuck firmly at the top.

After dinner, I had dragged Sora out to the training field, telling him I needed him to do a really big favour. Of course, he wasn't expecting it to be this big. "I know it's asking a lot of you, and I'm sorry, but I'll just get beat up if I go to the others."

"Why can't you do it?" He whined, looking at the metals sitting in the box to the side. "There's no way I can. No way."

"But I hate climbing!"

"Well, some other guy in our division is gonna get it eventually-"

Shaking my head, I interrupted him. "The sooner we get the arrow, the sooner we'll be leaving this stupid camp. C'mon, Sora - don't you want to move on to bigger things?" I appealed to his competitive side. "Besides, just imagine what the other guys will think of you if you manage to get it first!"

_Besides, Sora, you're the only one I trust enough to try to convince anyway._

"I guess I could try…" He said doubtfully, reaching over and picking up one of the metals. He looped the ribbons over each wrist, and stood in front of the post. It was wide - he couldn't put his arms around it completely - and there was absolutely nothing to use as support. In other words...it was impossible.

And even though he tried everything he could think of - from grasping at it with the palms of his hands, to grabbing onto it with his teeth; there was just no way he could get up more than a few feet. The weights_ really_ didn't help.

"I give up." He panted finally, collapsing on the ground, leaning his back against the post. "It can't be done. It just can't." He brought his hands forward, stretching his back with a grunt.

"There has to be a way." I murmured. _Or Vexen will never let us leave. And how is Roxas supposed to earn the respect he needs when we're stuck here? _I ignored the little voice in my head wondering why I wanted Roxas to succeed so badly.

I thought back to when Roxas first shot the arrow._ "One stands for strength. And the other, perseverance. You need _both _to reach the arrow." _

I picked the weights up off the ground, looking carefully at the ribbon. It was like a thick cloth - very strong. _I need both._ "I wonder if…" I trailed off. _Did he mean to literally _use _them?_

I tried several different techniques while Sora regained his strength. But only the third one really seemed to get me anywhere. By holding the end of the ribbons in both hands, I could throw my arms around the post, and get the weights to swing around each other, pulling them into a tight knot.

I then brought my feet up, one at a time, before throwing my arms upwards so the medal and ribbon moved upwards. If I leaned myself back, my weight kept them from slipping down.

I was up at least fourteen feet when Sora practically made me fall; his voice came out of nowhere.

"KAI! YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!" (Which was untrue - I had a_ long_ ways to go) "KEEP GOING!" Sora bellowed.

But when I looked down, I saw that he was actually trying to attract the attention of a few passing soldiers. I gulped when I noticed Roxas, and quickly looked back to what my hands were doing. This would be the worst time to lose focus, Naminé.

My breathing eventually became short as I hauled myself farther and farther upwards. The few cheers were almost difficult to hear now, and I felt instantly relieved when I saw the top was only a few feet away.

Then my foot slipped.

I held my breath as the ribbon slid down, my feet both trying to get purchase on the slick wood. When I regained my balance, I took a moment to breath slowly before starting again.

It took another three minutes to reach the top. I pulled myself up, my arms shaking (thankfully it was flat so I could sit down); I firmly placed my hand on the arrow. After a few moments of pulling, and wiggling it back and forth, I managed to wrench it out of the wood.

When I looked down, I was shocked to see that I was a good ways off the ground - and there was no way I could climb down again with an arrow in hand. So I threw it down, aiming far enough away from the crowd below, and smiled when I heard them all clapping and cheering. My heart bloomed with pride.

I rested for another moment before once again taking the ribbons into my hands, and let myself climb-slash-slide down. The cheers were abundant when I finally hit the ground, and some people slapped me on the back so hard I almost fell forward. My legs were shaky, my hands stung, and I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

"You did it, Kai!" Sora gave me a one-armed hug (very briefly, of course). Roxas stood in front of me, and handed over the arrow I had thrown.

"You nearly took off Vexen's head with that." He said jokingly, grinning at me, his eyes looking merry beneath his bangs. His voice lowered. "I knew you could do it." He looked proud.

I looked to the side, where Vexen was frowning in a way that told me he was _very _cross, but a deal was a deal. "All right, Roxas." He said to him, sneering. "You all leave in a week. But don't get too full of yourself." He added in an undertone.

As he stalked off, Roxas took a step backward. "Nice job, Kai! We're heading out in a week!" The cheers grew, and my eyes widened as two soldiers lifted me up onto their shoulders.

As I looked into their slightly-unclean, yet happy faces, I felt that for the first time in my life, I had truly accomplished something.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Extra-long chapter, hopefully for your enjoyment. I decided to cut Naminé a break and just let her retrieve the goddamn arrow XD  
But I really loved this chapter, so hopefully you did too :D


	19. Into The River

**Naminé -_ Into The River_**

**_

* * *

_**

"I smell like a man." I whined, wrapping the light towel more tightly around my body. The breeze was cool as it traveled over my bare legs.

"What's the supposed to mean?" Sora said; he was leaning against a tree while I stripped, his arm slung over his eyes.

"I _need _to get clean. Can't you understand that? It's been at least three days. The only reason I haven't taken one before now is because we've been training later than usual." And there wa_s no way_ I was about to risk bathing during the day with the other soldiers. I may as well scream _"I'M A GIRL!"_ in their faces.

"But the river isn't very private!" Argued Sora. I rolled my eyes in his direction, even though he couldn't see me anyways.

I was curt. "Just because I'm_ pretending_ to be a male doesn't mean I have to stink twenty-four seven."

"Fine. Just make it quick…please? And don't talk so loudly." He hissed in return.

"You're way too paranoid." Groaning softly, I waded into the water. At the last second, I tossed my towel onto the rock, and dove into the river. The current was sluggish, and I drifted with content. I figured it was dark enough that if anyone was passing by, they wouldn't see more than a very thin boy. The moon illuminated the water, and each drop of water sparkled. I rubbed at my sore arms.

"Okay. Hurry up now." Sora's voice came from the shadows. "I'm going to go in farther down the river. I'll come back in ten minutes."

"Fine, fine." I called back. "Just leave my clothes there."

I sighed in delight as the grime and sweat washed away. A few minutes later, I felt my muscles loosening up. I was just dipping my head back into the cool water when I heard a branch snap. My eyes strained in the lack of light.

"Who's there?" I said quickly, edging toward my towel. I mentally smacked myself to letting my guard down so easily. Just as the robe was within my reach, a figure emerged from the darkness.

He wasn't Sora.

* * *

Next chapter will be added tomorrow :D I'm excited! Naked time!

(kidding, kidding)

Also - I've been busy adding other stories/oneshots, so be sure to go check those out :) and put me on author alert, since I'm going to be publishing a LOT more Namixas love over the summer ;D


	20. Feminine Hint

**Naminé – _Feminine Hint_**

**_

* * *

_**

_"Who's there?" I said quickly, edging toward my towel. I mentally smacked myself to letting my guard down so easily. Just as the robe was within my reach, a figure emerged from the darkness._

_He wasn't Sora._

_

* * *

_

My fingers were gripping my robe, but I wasn't about to stand and reveal myself. I edged behind the rock best I could, squinting. When the first glimpses of blonde hair came into view, I hardly relaxed.

"Oh! Roxas!" My voice cracked as I changed its pitch half-way through. I cleared my throat quietly, lowering further into the water until I was up past my shoulders. I didn't care how silly I looked. This was the _last _person who should find out. Well, except for Vexen or something. _Ew..._

Roxas paused at the water's edge. I couldn't make out his expression, but he didn't sound like he had seen anything strange when he spoke. "Sorry to scare you."

"Oh, it's okay." I said too loudly. There were a few beats of silence, letting the sound of my voice bounce around my head.

He blinked, tilting his head to the side. "Are you okay? Your voice-"

I coughed, cutting him off. "Swallowed some water." I said hoarsely.

Roxas seemed to accept this. "I didn't know anyone else was here." He excused himself, and my eyes widened as I took in his naked form…well, naked except for a towel. His shoulders were broad and smooth, and as he moved to loosen his towel, I couldn't help but stare at his forearms.

I tried to casually look away as he draped his towel over another rock, and quickly walked into the water. _This isn't a popular bathing spot…why is he here? Act normal, act normal..._

Once I was sure he was in the water past his waist, I made to get away. "It was a rough day. I think I'll be heading in soon." I remembered to deepen my voice this time.

Roxas didn't reply; as he dunked his head under the water, I stood, wrapping my robe quickly around my nude body. Yet as I was tucking the light material around me, I didn't see how Roxas' eyes - now above water - stared at the smooth dip between my thin shoulders. But I could feel his eyes, and realized that my neck probably looked pretty…_feminine_, in a way. If that was possible.

Not that I had a terrific body or anything, but one could probably tell that my legs did _not_ belong to a seventeen year-old guy.

I retreated quickly, not caring anymore if my feet got dirty.

_Where the hell is Sora when you need him._

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**It took me a hell of a long time deciding who would be "joining" Nam ._. GOODNESS. And I realize it would probably be awkward for a dude to join another dude in a pond at night...BUT OH WELL. These people have no shame! (Because I'm the one writing, I suppose...)

Anyway! Aren't you glad it wasn't Vexen? O.O A surprising amount of people thought it would be him. (C'MON PEOPLE. EWWW DX EWEW**EW**)

Get that image of NAKED VEXEN out of your head and review.

*cough*

**NAKEDNAKEDNAKED. VEXEN.**

**penis D:**


	21. Overheard

**Naminé _- Overheard_**

**_

* * *

_**

I couldn't help but smack myself on the forehead as soon as I was out of sight from the river. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _I looked out into the darkness, trying to keep my voice below a yell. "Sora? Sora! Come here!" I heard splashing coming from nearby, and I kept walking along the path. I felt oddly vulnerable in my flimsy robe and bare feet.

There was a rustle in the bushes, then Sora practically ran right into me, his robe wrapped haphazardly around his waist. "What-?" He stopped in his tracks, looking down at me. "Nam? You alright?"

"Fine." I hissed, grabbing his arm. "Roxas showed up." I made a motion of zipping my lip, gesturing towards where I had been bathing. Sora nodded, and we both quickly walked back to camp. Sora left me to get myself dressed, while he went back to his own tent to do the same.

In a few minutes, we were standing across from each other; the incredulous expression was still set on his tanned face.

"Wait wait wait…you mean Roxas _saw_ you? He actually saw?" His eyes were as wide as saucers. My left eye twitched as he stared.

"No! He didn't _see _me." I resisted smacking him. "Let me explain? - After you left, Roxas showed up. I couldn't very well tell him to go away, could I? How would that look? - So as soon as he was under the water, I just walked out." When Sora's mouth dropped open, I hastily added, "With my robe, of course. I didn't run away in the _nude_."

Sora nodded, looking up at the tent in thought. "...You don't suppose Roxas swims with his eyes open, do you?"

I made a move to hit him, and he dodged it with a grin. I lowered my voice to a harsh whisper. "He's not a pervert, like you!"

"Sorry, Nam. Didn't mean to insult your boyfr-"

"-Finish that sentence and die, Sora." I said crossly. "Anyway, I don't think we have to worry about it. The only thing he might suspect are my legs."

Sora stifled a laugh. "Give me a break. I've seen cats with more curves."

As I chased Sora around my tent, threatening to kill him, I didn't hear the quiet footsteps of a figure nimbly stealing away from the outside of my tent.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**So many mysterious figures! :D  
Wow, already up to chapter (if you can call it that, haha) 21. Not to worry, there are plenty more to come :3


	22. Too Close

**Naminé_ - Too Close_**

**_

* * *

_**

_"Kai…wake up…"_

In my sleep, I groaned, and turned my head away from the intruding voice. When a sharp finger poked me in the side, I finally rose out of my nap. Groggily, I opened my eyes. Roxas was peering down at me quizzically, his blue eyes shockingly close to mine.

Let me explain why I was napping in the first place. After lunch, we were being allowed a few hours off. Most of us had decided to take the time to catch up on sleep, and I had fallen asleep under a tree just a little ways away from our camp. The grass seemed extra soft, and the breeze on the hill was simply delightful.

When he saw I was awake, Roxas scooted away, but I still sat up in alarm. "Is something wrong?" I started to stand, but Roxas held up his hands so I stilled. I self-consciously tucked my choppy hair back into it's tie, while Roxas rocked back and forth on his heels. He didn't look nervous - more excited, if anything.

"No, no. I just…well, I talked to another General - a General advisor - and I explained him about how well you all were doing." His smile made my stomach do flip-flops. "I told him I thought that you're ready for something a bit more serious. Nothing big. But something new, to keep the motivation going." His grin grew, if possible. "And he seemed to be really happy with what I was saying. Apparently they need some help - in the North, so it's simple stuff - but at least we'll be leaving camp!"

"Roxas! That's great!" Without a thought, I threw my arm around his neck for a hug. To my surprise, Roxas' arm went briefly around my waist. His warmth against my side was comforting.

We quickly let each other go after a moment, not meeting each other's eyes. _That was oddly...close. _I was sure my cheeks were red.

Roxas cleared his throat, saying something intelligible before standing up. I concentrated on calming my heart as he walked away.

"By the way…" He called, half-turning with a playful smirk. "You're late. Practice started ten minutes ago!"

I groaned. "Why didn't you tell me that FIRST?" I yelled back, jumping up. I resisted the urge to curse at him as I dashed into my tent to grab my shoes. His teasing laughter still rung in my ears as I hurriedly changed.

_He's so aggravating…yet he manages to make my heart race. What does that say about me?_

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Roxas can feel free to wake me up any day.


	23. Who Is Xion?

**Naminé - _Who is Xion?_**

* * *

"Great that we're finally moving out, isn't it?" Sora exclaimed, tossing another cloth bag into the cart. I looked at the weary-looking horses which were pulling the cart, my mouth twisting dubiously. I shrugged in Sora's direction.

"As much as I liked this camp…" I smiled, and threw my own into the pile. "I'll be glad for a change of scenery, you know?"

"Yeah. I was so surprised when Roxas made the announcement." Sora remarked, bending down to fix his shoes. I was grateful he didn't see my face, since my cheeks turned red when the words crossed his lips.

_Roxas telling me that…it doesn't mean anything. It's just because we discussed it earlier. He didn't confide in you for any particular reason. You were just there at the time. __He thinks you're a guy. He isn't intending to make me feel butterflies in my stomach whenever I'm around him. _

He doesn't know.

He _can't _know.

He never _will_ know.

_No one _will ever know.

_Right?_

_

* * *

_

**Wrong.**

Later in the morning, just before were to set out, Axel asked to talk to me for a moment. I followed him apprehensively, but tried to remain politely interested. I was still wasn't sure what to think about him. He was shifty, and it set me on edge. But I figured it was better to go along with whatever he wanted.

"What is it, Axel? Something wrong?" I asked.

Axel grinned. "Cut the act, girly." My blood ran cold. "I know, so you may as well tell the truth from now on to save time." He leaned closer. "_Nam."_

My mouth opened, and closed._ It can't be ending like this. _Finally I met his eye, trying not to shake. "You overheard me and Sora." I stated, my voice soft.

"Bingo." He spread his arms wide, speaking to an imaginary crowd. "And the girl wins a prize!" A nearby soldier looked up questioningly, but I waved him off hastily. I yanked on Axel's arm, pulling him farther away from the troops.

"Shut it already!" I tried to keep my voice down. "What do you want? Money?"

"I don't want anything." Axel's smile grew. "I just like seeing you squirm." His finger grazed under my chin, and I resisted slapping it away. "I really have no interest in what you do, as long as you don't get me in trouble." He took a few steps away, still grinning wickedly. "I'm not looking for attention, but I'm really curious as to how you managed to pull it off-"

"Wait, Axel. Roxas doesn't know…does he?"

"Roxas?" Axel blinked. "Who knows. But if he does, he hasn't said anything to me about it, so you're probably in the clear." His expression softened. "He really does like you though. Thinks you're the greatest person since Xion."

"Xion?"

Axel's eyes grew grim. "I'll let him explain that one to you." And with that, he left to regroup with the others, leaving me as confused as ever.

_Why do I have such a bad feeling about this?_

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**The next chapter might take a few days - since I'm going to rewrite it and the two chapters after it (plot change xD).  
So. Yes.  
Thanks for reviewing everyone! :) but please remember that I'm keeping the chapters this length, haha. If I make 1000word+ updates, I never end up finishing my stories. ^-^;


	24. Keeping Watch

**Naminé - _Keeping Watch_**

**_

* * *

_**

Leaving the campsite wasn't as great as we thought it would be. We no longer had a relatively-safe environment to sleep in – we were in the middle of nowhere. Every man had to serve two hour lookout shifts on either side of wherever we had decided to camp for the night.

The food was even more plain than before, and it was almost always too cold to get a good night's rest. As the days went by, the bags under our eyes grew deeper and darker.

It wasn't even a week before the topic of Xion was even mentioned. I was on the 4-6am shift, and it was only 5am when Roxas joined me.

"You're early." I mused, knocking my heel against the cold, hard ground in an effort to keep me alert. Roxas leaned against the tree, rubbing his hands together.

"I couldn't sleep, and it's easier to keep watch when you have someone to talk to, anyway." He frowned as a chilly went rose through the thin grass, making us tuck our hands closer to our bodies.

"It's really cold this morning." I stifled a yawn.

Roxas shifted. "I know. I don't really know what to do – it's below freezing – I shouldn't have people sitting here. Someone could freeze to death." He griped.

"You worry too much." I laughed, nudging him with my clothed elbow. It almost hurt to move, but I felt warm inside now. "We're stronger than you think."

Roxas looked over at me. "You know…Kai, you kinda remind of someone."

"Really?" I tried to sound casual. "Who?"

"Xion."

My heart sped up. "Isn't that a girls name?"

"I don't mean you look like her or anything." His lips smiled, but his eyes didn't. "Your spirit is just the same. You don't give up. You don't let people stand in the way of what you want, or anything like that. It doesn't matter how cold or indifferent you are – they'll still approach you."

I shook my head, slightly confused. "Who is she?"

"She was my…fiancee."

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**I hate chapter delays }:( but I was on vacation (no internet Dx) so it couldn't be helped. I'll post the next update in a few minutes to (help) make up for it.


	25. A Cowardly Act

**Naminé – _A Cowardly Act_**

**_

* * *

_**

"_She was my...fiancee."_

The words created such a long lapse of silence, I was afraid one of us might catch a cold before either of us spoke. The meaning behind his words practically made me dizzy.

_I remind him of his fiancee? What does that even MEAN?_

Roxas didn't look at me. He looked thoughtful as he gazed down at the frozen ground. "She died a month before our wedding. I was traveling with my father at the time, and I knew she was sick, but no one told me how serious it was before it was too late." He paused. "By the time I made it back home, she was gone."

Roxas saying this changed my entire view of him. I grasped for the words I could say. I didn't want to tell him I was sorry – I didn't know her, so what position was I in to pity him? I knew it wouldn't do anything but make it worse.

"Do you miss her?" I said instead.

Roxas seemed surprised by the question. "You're the first person to ask me that." He paused. "Sometimes, I do. But I don't even know if I loved her…that way, you know? I think she felt the same way. We could talk about anything…anything except our future together. I don't even know if we would have been able to have kids. Though she would have been a great mother, we weren't right for each other in that way."

His eyes were downcast. "But whenever I think that, I feel so awful. How could I, in any way, feel some sort of relief by her death? Of course I mourned Xion – she was a good friend to me. But I couldn't mourn her the way a true husand would." Roxas sighed. "It was never our decision to marry – it was our parents, of course. And I always felt that Xion resented me so easily giving in to my father when he proposed the idea. She wanted me to stand up for what I wanted – what I thought was best for us – and I was too cowardly to do anything. I can't help but wonder if that's one of the reasons she got so sick."

Roxas immediately fell silent, his cheeks turning red. I merely sat there, too stunned to speak a word. Roxas had never opened up to me quite like that, and I felt like pouring out my heart to him just as he had allowed himself to do with me.

"You may have acted cowardly, Roxas, but that doesn't mean you're not strong." I said slowly. "I'm sure Xion cared about you very much, no matter what choices you made with your father."

Roxas looked up at the sky, shielding his eyes from the rising sun. "It's past six. You can go get some rest before everyone wakes up."

I didn't feel any harshness in his words. I knew why he was telling me to go – it was obvious in how he hid his face and how his voice was filled with sadness.

As I walked away, I only caught a glimpse of the few tears making their way down his frozen cheeks.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**I'm sorry for such a dramatic chapter (we all have those days) - but I wanted to give Roxas some backstory. i.e the reason he wants his troops to become the best. Proving he's not a coward to himself, you know?


	26. Freezing Trek

**Naminé – _Freezing Trek_**

* * *

The next three or four days blurred together; entirely uneventful, the rest of the soldiers and I were practically bored to tears. Often, as we walked forward along the Northern mountains, the men would sing old songs which had been around longer than any of us. I didn't know the words, but I liked to listen, even though most of their voices were pretty horrible.

I was pretty desperate to keep my mind off my icy-cold toes.

Roxas had looked more and more troubled as the days went by, but whenever I approached him about it, he wouldn't answer. After some prodding, Axel later confided in me. "He's kinda on edge since we haven't run into any of his father's army scouts." Axel's voice was easily camouflaged by the sounds of the men singing low. "We were supposed to meet with one yesterday morning, to talk about where our vantage point of attacking would be."

"O-Oh." I said, biting my chapped lip as I watched Roxas once again look over his shoulder, a worried expression cast upon his face. Yet he continued to lead us further North. His head was bent low –then again, so were everyone else's. Each and every troop was trying his best to keep himself warm against the freezing winds. There was no snow at the time, but it was easily seen in the distance, and the ground was cold and frozen.

It was a particularly cold afternoon, when spirits had dropped to an all-time low. "We'll keep going for another few hours." Roxas called to us, straining to be heard over the wind. "We're heading towards a nearby village, where another army was heading to cut off any of the Hun's troops."

I shivered even more at the thought of going into a _real_ battle, with a _real_ Hun. They were strong and ruthless, often slaughtering entire towns before sending them up in flames.

_Well..._ I tugged my sleeves farther down over my wrists. _As long as everything's gone to plan, we won't be meeting a group of Huns any time soon._

_

* * *

_**Author's Note: **Short chapter, yes, but the next one is full of despair and heartbreak. *fastens seatbelt*


	27. The General

**Naminé - _The General_**

* * *

The rest of the trek didn't take more than two hours, just as Roxas had said. But what we met there made me wish it hadn't taken nearly as long.

There was destruction..._everywhere._

If I hadn't been standing next to him at the time, I was sure I wouldn't have been able to hear him. Roxas' voice was a mere croak. "This is where…this is where my father…" He walked forward, a look of disbelief and sadness hovering at the edges.

The battle ground was a mass of flaming ruins. You could almost make out the remains of wooden war carts. Our flag, half blackened from the flames, was standing crookedly against a crumbling wall. The stench of death was in the air, and I felt the blood leave my face. Bodies…_everywhere._

_Is this all that is left of the village? No survivors? Nothing? _Eyes wide, I gazed at the awesome ruin. The wake of the Huns.

Roxas looked defeated as he surveyed the village. Of course, the rest of us fanned out to search for survivors. It was easy to tell who was dead. The Huns had a particular way of killing a soldier…it usually consisted of them slicing the head from the body, or maiming the body completely. Unrecognizable.

As I turned a corner, I came to a stop. This body was like many of the others, the body twisted and broken from the neck down, the head nowhere to be seen - the entire surrounding ground was stained a dark red. But my eyes flew to the helmet resting to the side.

_The helmet of a General._

I reached for it. There was a slash of blood across it, and I held my breath as I inspected it carefully. I found what I was looking for - his name, engraved on the inside.

Roxas' father.

I blanched further. I felt nauseous. I knew from when I first saw the ruins that the chance of his father being alive was slim… but to actually witness where a gruesome murder took place...

"What did you find?" Axel's face paled when he saw the helmet in my hands. I didn't need to explain its meaning - which I was thankful for. I didn't think I could speak. My tongue was dead in my mouth, and I don't think my voice would work even if I tried.

"You go. I'll…I'll tell him." Axel gently took the helmet out of my hands, and hoisted me to my feet. I felt shaken. Death of a stranger was one thing…but the father of a dear friend - it was almost like seeing my own father dead. I couldn't imagine what pain Roxas would be going through. I briefly wondered how Axel could bare to be a giver of such news.

I realized at once I had a very thin relationship with death. I lived a sheltered life. My grandparents on both sides were alive and well. I had barely been exposed to pain, or sadness (my brother was rarely mentioned) - how does one cope with grief? How do you even know what it _feels_ like?

I walked away from the bloody scene, until the smell wasn't as intruding on my senses. There were large patches of snow here, and I shivered. There was a steep incline, with a rickety fence blocking it off. I leaned against it, trying to ease my thoughts.

A few minutes later, Roxas was by my side. But he didn't seem to see me as he leaned over the embankment. His body shook and shivered as he threw up. I took a tentative step in his direction once he had finished.

He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "Why did this happen?" I wasn't sure if he was talking to me. But when his blue eyes locked onto mine, I knew he wanted some sort of answer.

"I don't know." I replied carefully. "Things…like this…" I placed my hands together, bowing my head. "...There is never a good enough reason, is there."

Roxas nodded, and I knew he needed to be left alone. My hand gently touched his shoulder as I passed. My lips quivered with sadness as Roxas whispered his thanks, his voice finally breaking.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Quick update! ~ this chapter made me very sad indeed. But I'll try to make Roxas more manly in future chapters, to make up for this patch of crybaby-ness. (Though who wouldn't shed a tear when your father was torn apart by a warrior?)

I LOVE MY REVIEWERS! :D and anyone who's still reading, haha!


	28. Reopening

**Naminé - _Reopening_**

* * *

Roxas didn't seem the same after that day. He still guided us forward (towards what, I couldn't be sure) – but all sense of purpose had deflated from his shoulders. There were no more confident grins or jokes. We just kept walking; Roxas said that we were going to continue to the royal palace. I felt a sense of helplessness whenever I approached Roxas - it was easy for someone to _feel_ sympathy for someone; but to convey that into simple words without making them feel like less...I stopped trying after a few days.

I hadn't had any experience in feeling this way. Feeling _proud_ was a something so sought after - it was seen as a synonym to being _strong._ The less you showed your hurt or pain, the more strength you had. But, for some reason, I couldn't agree with that. I figured if you were truly strong...you could let yourself lower your defences to accept kindness. You wouldn't have to fear that.

Later on, I asked Sora as to why we would even bother continuing towards the palace. It was after almost everyone had gone to bed (including Roxas), and Sora and I were sitting on the logs surrounding the small fire someone had made earlier. Axel was laying on the thawed grass to our right, his eyes closed. The firelight made his hair's spiky shadow's dance against the ground.

"How does Roxas know where to go?" I asked quietly.

"Huh." Sora through a twig into the fire, watching it burn in thought. "Y'know..." He paused. "I guess it's because if you look at which villages the Huns have been attacking," He moved his hand in a slow diagonal motion. "...it only makes sense that that's the direction they would continue heading."

I nodded. "If the Huns are going anywhere, that would be the place." Sighing, I continued. "I don't know. I'd prefer to come across a pair of bandits than a pair of Huns. They're-"

Sora smirked. "Too scary for you?"

"No! That's not it!" I frowned. "Bandits are just lowlifes. But Huns...those are our _enemies."_ It'd be in their direct interests to kill us.

Sora rolled his eyes. "When you're fighting one, you wouldn't see the difference."

"Like you've ever fought bandits _or _huns." I snickered.

"I have too!"

I stuck out my tongue. "Really? When?"

Sora opened his mouth to reply when Axel gave a small groan. "Oh, shut _up_ you too. You fight like kids!"

Sora and I merely glared at each other.

* * *

**(a few days later)**

**

* * *

**Roxas had gotten a bit more responsive – though he still almost never joined us for meals, and was silent while we walked. But we had another few conversations as the nights went by. They usually occurred on the occasional nights which our lookout hours were side-by-side.

"I don't know how I should feel." He confessed one night, his head leaning on his arm. It had taken some prodding, but he was beginning to open up. But his voice was hard; void of emotion. "I'm sad, but I know I have to be strong to everyone else." He glanced at me. "You know...my mom is gone, too. She died a few months before - before you came."

"Oh, Roxas." I barely whispered, not even noticing how my voice slipped. After a moment, the stony expression slipped back onto his face. I dug my heel into the cold ground, and slowly, I told him what I had theorized about earlier - that perhaps strength was also allowing yourself to be weak.

Roxas didn't answer right away. _Have I gone too far? Did I offend him?_

It didn't seem as if that was the case. His voice dropped even lower. "Why is everyone leaving me?" Roxas mumbled.

I held my breath. I so wanted to reach over, and tell him that I cared about him. To tell him he meant so much to me, and I would never leave. Or that everyone looked up to him, and he couldn't give up now. And he was so strong, and so loved.

But I couldn't. All I did was let myself lean against him, ever so slightly. His eyes flickered with realization, while mine closed.

I didn't know why I did it. But the words slipped out before I could stop them. Someone had to do it.

Someone had to tell him he was still needed.

* * *

**Author's Note: ***isn't really sure where she's going with this silly story*. Everyone should take a close look at the genre of this fanfiction - so they know what this story is slowly filling up with :P


	29. Bandits?

**Naminé - _Bandits?_**

**_

* * *

_**

It took a long time to make any real headway towards the palace. It was at least another four days of hiking through the valley. We were only about a day away when we ran into a bit of trouble.

A small group of us had broken away from our division to search for a place to stay the night. We were just walking through a small plateau enclosed by large rock formations when I suddenly spotted something ahead.

"Roxas." I said quietly, nodding my head in the direction of the scraps on the ground. There were bits of cloth, and half an arrow. The haphazardly spread footprints suggested that there had been some sort of struggle.

"A fight, here?…" Roxas bent down to examine the cloth. "Most likely-"

"B-Bandits!" I heard someone yell, and we all looked up as about twenty men dashed out from behind numerous rocks. There were only ten of us. I heard Sora stutter something nervously beside me before he ran forward, almost tripping in his haste.

"Wait for my order next time, Sora!" Roxas hollered, starting towards the nearest man himself. I nervously clasped my sword in my hand.

I watched them approach. As I struck the first one, my sword met with armour concealed beneath ragged clothing.

The others seemed to have noticed the same thing. The alert spread quickly throughout our small group. "These aren't bandits! They're-" _Huns._

It was easy to tell, once you knew what to look for. The sturdy shoes. The strong shoulders. The glint of sheer murder and strength in their eyes.

We made quick work. They obviously had been tired, because it didn't take much to bring one down. And hungry, I realized, after I elbowed one in the stomach. I winced as I felt my arm crack through one of his ribs. I could hear my heart pumping, and every nerve was on high-alert, waiting for my every order to move to defend myself. Sweat was dripping from every pore, but I forced myself to concentrate.

It was only near the end that it got bad. Sora was struggling with a particularly large man - one of the few left who still had a weapon in his hands - and I quickly ran to assist him. I was about to knock him out with the hilt of my sword when I felt something sharp hit me in the back. It was a good strike. It slipped between two pieces of my armour, and I gasped as the it sliced into my side. It was deep, and my lungs momentarily gave out on me.

I couldn't help it. My cry was half-strangled as I quickly pulled the dagger out of my body with my free hand. I turned quickly, my arm stretched out, slashing the man who had stabbed me across the face. I sunk down onto both knees, trying to control my breathing as red swam in front of my eyes. I clenched my teeth, inhaling slowly so I could try to gauge how far the blade had gone.

"Nam…" Sora whispered as he helped me onto my back. It seems as if he had overtook the huge man. I first protested, but let him when I pulled my hand back from my side, covered in a red and sticky substance. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Roxas quickly finish off the last two men. He ran over, truly looking worried as he saw the blood rapidly seeping through my armour.

"Kai?" He glanced at Sora. "Stay with us - we'll be back with the others in no time. Just don't…" He didn't finish. He helped me up, but when I began to sway, Axel quickly knelt in front of me.

"Help him onto my back. It'll be faster this way."

"Fine." Roxas gently guided me, and I pretty much collapsed onto the redhead's back. Axel and Roxas talked quietly as we walked. I'm sure they would have gone faster if I hadn't looked quite so pale, groaning when Axel stumbled.

"I didn't think we would meet them so soon." Roxas looked pained. "I was sure they would be heading towards the palace as quickly as they could."

"It seems like that group was left here on purpose. To meet us. There is no way Huns would stay hiding behind a rock unless they were waiting for something." Axel said, his voice low.

"Hope you're right. But we should still be careful while we're in the valley."

I tried to stay awake, as Roxas instructed, but it was too difficult. I felt incredibly tired. And Axel was walking at such a pace, it felt like he was rocking me to sleep.

_I'm so tired..._

* * *

**Author's Note: **...And so, Handwritten completely changes the original plot once again! _Sorry,_ I just couldn't do the mountain thing D: the whole shooting the arrow, and hauling Mulan and Shang (not to mention a freakin' HORSE) back up a cliff is just too improbable for me to rewrite...so, yes! Out comes this! Haha, you guys will go absolutely nuts when I post the next chapter (later tonight ;D)


	30. Don't Look

**Naminé - _Don't Look_**

* * *

I ached all over. I could hear the sharp whistle of the wind against the tent, so I figured we were still in the mountains somewhere. I drifted in and out of consciousness as the doctor pulled away my armour. Through the fog, I tried to move my lips. Tell him to stop. There was a sharp pain against my side, and even though I fought it, it's all my mind could think if. That pain...it felt like it was burning cold.

_Don't look._

My protective cloth against my chest was being unlaced. Quickly. Professionally. But I couldn't think clearly through the dense pillow cushioning my mind. Each thought took seconds to register, and I struggled to keep my remaining strength from slipping away.

I knew I was injured badly – but there was a higher price to pay if I was discovered.

_Stop. _I tried to shake my head, but it felt like there was a great weight on my muscles._ What happened to me?_

Naturally, as the last piece of bloody cloth was pulled away, I heard a loud exclamation of surprise as my breasts were revealed. But instead of feeling shame, I only felt remorse. My time was up. _If only I had been more careful…_

_If only I had kept my guard up._

A dozen 'If's' went through my mind as a clean piece of linen was placed over my bare chest, and I dimly heard the man ask for some more wet rags. I whimpered quietly in my daze.

_Don't look at me._

_

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_**Author's Note: **I'm going to try to post chapters at least every day (I /need/ to finish this before September. AGH!) Maybe even two or more.

What do you think is gonna happen next? :O


	31. Revealed

**Naminé - _Revealed_**

* * *

I don't remember what had happened after that. I guess I must have fallen asleep. But when I woke up, the doctor was still by my bedside. His face was tense as he stared down at me. There was nothing I could say. As soon as I had been cleaned up, he left. I could understand why he didn't speak to me - he was in a position where he would be the one bringing me to my death. He would be the one to tell the others my true identity.

I heard the faint murmur of their voices - the doctor's was low and urgent. I muted my groan, forcing myself to push myself up so I could look around. It was hastily set up - different cases of bandages and medicine stacked throughout the room. I forced myself up further as the flap to the tent was pulled to the side. Roxas slipped inside. I cowered in my corner, pulling the blanket up to my chin. He stayed at the opposite end of the tent, looking at me in shock.

"Is it true?"

It wasn't an accusation. His voice…he didn't _want _it to be true. He wanted the doctor to be mistaken. He didn't want to have to kill me. At least that was some kind of consolation, if any.

I couldn't bring myself to answer him. He repeated the question, voice almost ragged. "Tell me!" When I still didn't open my mouth, he reached forward and pulled at the blanket. My bandaged chest was revealed - the swell of my breasts obvious. Roxas didn't move for a moment. I drew the blanket back up with shaky hands; I had already been exposed to another man.

"I'm…sorry." I whispered.

Roxas didn't answer.

Instead, he bent forward, both of his rough palms settling on my cheeks. He stared at me, his eyes wide.

"You're alive." He whispered, before leaning forward, enclosing me in a hug. I felt myself grow dizzy, my feelings expanding too quickly to comprehend.

"I knew it. I knew it." He repeated over and over, his arms tight around me. His voice was soft against me, and my eyes closed. "I knew there was something about you…you were different. You're not Kai. You're not the unknown son of the Fa family." He breathed out slowly. "You...you are Naminé. You are his daughter." His voice was light.

I pushed against him. My mouth moved slowly. "You… you knew? For how long?"

Roxas barely smiled. "When I saw you in the river… I-I noticed something about you. And again, the more we talked." He paused, pulling himself further away from me with his cheeks flushing red. "But I didn't want it to be true. I didn't want you to get hurt. So I ignored it."

I blinked back my tears. "Why didn't you tell me you knew?" I asked. "Or...or...tell someone else?"

"I don't know why." His hand brushed mine, and we both froze. "You are...you are so different than any other girl. I just couldn't bring myself to do it." His gaze was cast downwards. "In some way, I felt like you had come here to teach me a lesson...I needed to remember what Xion had taught me. You were here not for glory, or for duty like all the others. It was a personal sacrifice, to save someone you love. In so many ways, like Xion."

My heart stuttered when he mentioned Xion. He looked up at me with a pained expression.

"I don't know what to do." He said shallowly. "The doctor knows. He knows. The best I could do was to have them release you...but we're-"

I shook my head slowly, sitting up. "It's alright." I said back. "I can leave. I'm not badly hurt. I'll return to my home, and you can come for me there." I didn't know why I added that. _Why would Roxas ever come to find me?_ But he didn't seem to have noticed. Instead, he looked alarmed.

"Travelling by yourself? I know you're strong -" I smiled grimly at his concern. "- But it's incredibly dangerous. I would never let anyone in our troops be left in a place like this, let alone you." His voice dropped lower. He had leaned in closer; I could make out every detail on his face. I felt yearning deep inside me.

"It's the only way." I said softly, but firmly. "If you leave a horse, I can just ride there. I'll wear my armour. It would be better now, if you didn't get into too much trouble trying to protect me."

"I can't." He persisted. He was so close now, I could feel his warmth, and it caressed my bare arms.

"Please, I believe in you." I soothed. We were almost touching. Almost reaching that breaking point. "Trust me." I said softly. _You have to trust me._

I felt my insides burning. My eyes slowly closed as Roxas brought his hand up, putting the gentlest of pressure on my cheek. His lips barely brushed mine, our breath catching as the fire between us grew. Unsure, I shakily brought my hands to rest on his chest.

"Naminé." His whispered hoarsely. I could feel his need, right beside my own.

His other arm wrapped around my waist. It was my first kiss, this time when he tilted his head, pulling me tighter against him. I could taste his lips, and all I managed to breathe in was _him._ We kissed again, and again. We both seemed to forget everything else. It didn't matter where we were, or what circumstances we were under -

At that moment, we were, finally, together.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I tried to make a smoochy-smoochy scene, but still keep it kind of...chaste, in a way? xD Not so much as if they were _giving in_ to their lust, but meeting each other in the middle of a different kind of feeling (love, duh ;D).

After 31 chapters, it is finally revealed! Wow! But we still have a ways to go! :D I'll be adding the next chapter a bit later.


	32. Ambush

**Naminé - _Ambush_**

**_

* * *

_**

It was only an hour after Roxas had left, when two guards came to take me away.

None of us spoke as they hauled me up by my arms, half-dragging me outside. I felt they were ashamed - these were men I had shared a meal with only a few days ago - but they looked nowhere but where they were taking me. My head hung forward, my hair hiding my face from the rest of them as the two men dropped me on the ground, as if they couldn't stand to touch me. I was weak, and my knees buckled under my weight. I tried to cover myself with my arms.

The thin blanket which had fallen on the ground was draped over my shoulders, and when I peeked up through my hair, it was Axel. He looked upset, but didn't say anything. I pulled the blanket further up my shoulders. I hadn't expected to feel like this. _I'm supposed to be strong. Not just for Roxas, or Axel. But for myself._ I forced the tears back, swallowing hard.

Then Vexen entered the circle; he was obviously angry. He had already been upset with our assembly, and it didn't make it much better, finding out his least-favourite soldier was actually a woman. He walked forward; his hand brought back, a resounding _smack_ as he hit me across my cheek. I felt the stinging heat with my hand, staring up at him as strongly as I dared. I think every single man there jumped back visibly.

I couldn't see Roxas, but I felt his presence. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Axel barely holding him back.

The doctor was the one who stepped in. "She's injured, even if-" Vexen cut him off with a wave of his hand, and glared at me with his beady eyes.

"She's a woman. She is worthless here." He snarled. "Such a crime - impersonating a male in the army! - is punishable by death! Behead her, at once!"

I saw Roxas start forward.

Then, out of nowhere, something exploded. It was the doctor's tent I had left just moments ago.

There were cries of pain as we were sent into the air. I landed behind a fairly large rock, crying out as I skidded to a stop. I jumped up as quickly as I could, tossing the blanket I had held on to, to the side when I saw the flames. I looked around wildly when someone called out, pointing towards a nearby hill.

Charging down it were, no less, every Hun on their side - led by Shan Yu, a long, crooked daggar held high above his head. We were badly outnumbered. They had picked the best time to attack - waiting until we were all engrossed, our guards down. I briefly wondered where our lookouts were.

"Men! Where are our explosives?" I heard Roxas yell. Without my armour, I felt too unprotected to come out of my hiding place. I cowared behind the rock as our men were overtaken by a few more small explosives (the only ones able to make it this far).

Another man replied. "We only have a few - the cart was-!" He was just to my right, and I watched as he set it into the hard ground, leaning it against his knee. A few other men took the remaining explosives, quickly sending them off. Only a few Huns at a time were taken out at a time. In another moment, all we had left was one.

"Aim it at Shan Yu." Roxas ordered the man who had it.

I looked at the terrifying warriors...and above. Directly overhanging, a large cliff of stone. The explosive. The cliff.

I ran forward. I knocked the man to the side, grabbing the large explosive out of his arms. It was heavy; my feet slipped on the grond, but I dodged back and forth as several men tried to stop me. I felt heat blistering my skin as I ran.

"Stop!" Someone yelled. The Huns were getting closer, and the ground shook.

"Namine!" I didn't recognize the voice, but I ignored it. I ran, until I was in direct range of the Huns' arrows. My hair in my eyes, I grabbed two rocks, my hands shaking as I struck them together. It took two tries, but with a gasp, I lit the explosive. It jumped forward, up into the air. Far above Shan Yu, and any of the Huns. It streamed higher and higher, a stream of smoke trailing it.

There was a moment of almost deadly-silence. I had just used the last explosive. But the Huns didn't see what I did. With a bang, it hit the cliff. There was a deep cracking noise; a vibration I felt inside.

Large chunks of rock fell, like a waterfall of stone. I quickly ran backwards, each step making my side sting. The earth trembled as the landslide continued, rock easily overpowering the Huns on their horses. Shan Yu disappeared under the rubble with a roar.

Clouds of dust and smoke hid me as I ran out of all the commotion. I could hear footsteps behind me, and when I turned, Roxas stood. "Namine..." His eyes were bright. "I-I can't believe you-" There were more yells as the troops struggled to put out the fires.

"Roxas. Vexen wants to kill me." I said quickly. "I need to leave - n-now."

He nodded, and handed me a bag, before pulling me closer. He kissed me once, so briefly, I barely felt it. He was holding his left arm, and I spotted blood. "Be careful, Naminé." He instructed. He handed me a spare shirt, before pushing me towards one of the horses.

"Thank you, Roxas." I murmured, pulling the shirt over my head before jogging towards the horse. My eyelashes felt wet. I was leaving everyone - Sora, Axel, and all my friends.

I mounted the horse slowly, and he neighed quietly before I shushed him. He pawed at the ground. I was lucky that the explosion had spooked him so near me.

Using the reins, I made the horse quickly gallop away from the fire behind me, which he was only glad to do. My heart pounded as I turned the corner. I would have to hide out of sight, before heading back in that same direction to get home.

I slowed the horse to a trot. It was quiet, except for the lingering shouts behind me. I could only guess what was happening.

With a click of my tongue, I let the horse lead me forward.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay, I decided to incorporate a bit more of the movie into the story. Just to make it work. Surprise, surprise! :D


	33. Travelling Solo

**Naminé - _Traveling Solo_**

* * *

To pass the time until the rest of the soldiers had moved on, I led the horse further into the dense brush, so we were hidden from the road. There, I slowly inspected the wound on my side. Grimacing, I tugged on the dirty, bloody bandage. The crusty and dried blood made it more painful, but finally the area was clear. I carefully took some ointment from the bag (I guessed Roxas had prepared it for me before we had been attacked), trying to clean it.

It was pretty gross, really. But it certainly got my mind off of things.

I only stayed in the clearing for another few hours. I didn't want there to be any chance of me seeing the troops when I began my hike, but eventually, I couldn't stop myself. I struggled to stand. There was a heavy weight in my heart. I had come so far… and I had wanted to see it through to the end. Even if Roxas wasn't part of this equation, I had become part of the army. I wanted to protect China, too.

"Just be happy they didn't kill you." I said to myself. "You're still alive."

From the map I had stored in the pack, I knew how to get home. It would take me over a week of travelling, if all went well.

My discarded shoes lay a few feet away, and my fingers were shaking so badly it took mea few minutes to get them on. I was weak, and had a long way to travel. I was just thankful the doctor had stitched me up before alerting the others, and they had been kind enough to stuff an extra bandage in the pack.

I tried not to think about Roxas as I started the long walk down the rocky mountain. I would be seeing him soon. But I couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that he was still in danger.

* * *

The sun was low in the sky when I neared the now-deserted campsite. There were the few burnt remains. Not to mention the huge pile of rubble - which from a distance, looked awfully odd. Frowning, I led the horse down the twisting path, until we were walking straight through the site. I stopped in front of the rubble pile, and my blood ran cold.

All the rocks were strewn further away from the original pile. There were footprints, and handprints - showing that many people had climbed _out _of the pile. I could picture Shan Yu's cruel face in my mind, as he clawed and fought his way out of death.

The Huns were still alive - and it seemed like I was the only one who knew.

I looked around carefully, but there was nothing to show there had been a second fight. Further along the trail, I spotted the hoof prints of our horses, and the wheel tracks from the remaining cart. And lighter, faster footprints overtop of those.

The Huns had been running.

Cursing, I quickly dug out the map. I spread it on the soft ground, tracing my finger along the trail we had been walking. From where we were, it was the most direct route to the Imperial palace. Either the Huns were hoping to overtake our troops, or just beat them to the palace.

I stared at the map, trying to make sense of it all. _What should I do? _

The answer was clear. I rolled up the map, clasping it tightly as I mounted the horse. I dug my heels into his side, trying to urge him to go faster.

I knew I couldn't beat the Huns there. But I just hoped I could get there in time to do _something._

* * *

**Author's Note: **Moving along, now! :D I figure I'll be publishing 7-8 more chapters.

Thanks for all the reviews~ :D From now on, I'll reply to every review I get on this story (that has over 10 words, okay? xD). I feel bad for not doing it earlier :s

New poll on my profile, by the way. Come vote! (it's an easy one) - I'm a curious kind of girl.


	34. Reaching Limits

**Naminé -_ Reaching Limits_**

* * *

It was late into the evening when I finally got off my horse for a rest. I tied him to a tree hidden from the main path's sight, and went in search of the stream I had seen a few moments prior. When I spotted another being walking along the path, I felt my heart stop. Fearful, I quickly darted into the bushes. Ducking down, I let my hand rest on the small dagger attached to my belt. Just in case.

It was two men - and they definitely didn't look like they were on my side. I recognized the Huns crest on their swords, and the accent coating the words they spoke.

_They must be scouts. _I thought, looking at their small size. _They don't look like fighters. _They were speaking so quickly, I could only catch a few phrases.

"Tomorrow is the day." One said, and they both laughed. The other replied, "-when you have someone on the in-" in… _something. _I scorned myself for not catching it, and strained my ears further to hear; my palms were stinging from where I was leaning on them so heavily, but I didn't dare to even breathe.

In my discomfort, I caught only a few words - _emperor, slaughter, warrior_ - I felt sick as I crouched in the bushes.

"Including that kid." They passed around the bend, and were soon out of earshot.

My heart was beating wildly. What had I just uncovered? _What are they planning now?_

"Someone on the in…" I let myself fall onto my backside. "Someone on the in_side_." _Do they have a double agent or something?_ My mind flickered the more disturbing part of their conversation. "Slaughter…the emperor…and what kid?"

I closed my eyes, rubbing my temples. It would be so easy, now, to go back and home and let the others take care of themselves. But I knew I could never do that. If anything, what I had just overheard gave me further reason to get to the palace as soon as possible.

_I just hope they believe me._

* * *

Pushing my weak body to its limits, I managed to make it to the emperor's palace by the next day. I walked all through the night, and I tried not to fall asleep during my infrequent rests. At first I had ridden the horse filled with apprehension - any second, I could have met up with someone who wanted to hurt me. A Hun. A bandit. Even the wildlife was a danger.

But even now, when I was safely tucked in the crowds of the city, I only grew more nervous. It was an odd sensation to be surrounded by city-folk, and I had to fight to get through the crowds. My feet, calves, and shoulders were aching, but I persisted.

When I made it to the palace, the guards refused to let me in, obviously. "There's a ceremony at seven tonight. No one except for officials are allowed inside until then." The guard shifted, bringing his sword closer to his side. Of course this strange, foreign-looking female (dressed in cloth armour) would make him uneasy.

"The emperor will be at the ceremony?" I asked quickly before they turned me away.

"Of course." He answered roughly. "He's also promoting some of the captains from the imperial army." Finished with me, he turned back to his post.

_Roxas…could Roxas have something to do with this? Is Roxas the 'kid'?_

Exhaustion was starting to catch up with me. I barely made it to a concealed section of grass before I sank onto the ground. My pack seemed to be gaining five pounds with every step, and I dropped it beside me with a sigh of relief. I threw my arm over my eyes, finally giving in to sleep. It was only midday. I could take a short nap. There was nothing I could do - Roxas would have made it here a while ago. He was safe, for now, inside the palace.

With only Roxas on my mind, I closed my eyes.

_Who knows how this is going to turn out..._

_

* * *

_

**Author's Note: **It's reaaaaally late here, and I did _not _feel like updating (I'm more tired than Nam is! D:). I was too tired to write in that Naminé tied up her horse somewhere for a reasonable fee. Or something. Horse = *poof*


	35. Decipherment

**Naminé -_ Decipherment_**

**

* * *

**

I awoke when the first fireworks began. I sat up quickly as the sky erupted into colour; rubbing sleep from my eyes, I yawned. Judging by the crowds beginning to form, it must have been nearing seven. I groaned as I looked through my bag. Leaving my bag completely unprotected had been a bad idea, as the rest of my precious money was gone. Hopefully, I'd be heading home soon enough.

At least my water had been spared. I took a quick gulp of the lukewarm liquid, using the rest to splash onto my face. I was awake, but my mind was foggy and slow. I didn't have a plan, which really wasn't a good start.

As I stood up, quickly stretching my stiff legs, I had to admit that the palace was beautiful. Elegant stone and marble carvings surrounding the area lit up with the red and gold hues from the fireworks. But I couldn't stand there and admire the scenery, as appealing as it was.

I pushed my way through the crowd. My hair was loose, and it swung down just above my shoulders. People stared at me, obviously confused about my clothing versus my hair, but for once I ignored them. I had more pressing issues. If anything, my appearance helped me get through the hoards of people.

Finally I was inside the palace. There were so many people surging into the courtyard, there was no way to keep track of who entered, so I could see why this would be the best time to plan an attack. Far ahead, the largest staircase I had ever seen led up and up and up. At the top, I saw the emperor (no way to see his face from where I stood in the jostling crowd, but I recognized his formal robes) and off to the side_…officials…and…Roxas_. I could spot his mop of yellow hair anywhere.

My heart skipped a beat, but the sight of him didn't bring any calm. He wasn't safe either, I could tell. Even he looked uneasy.

I ran around people cheering, and the younger children waving flags. I knew there was no way I could just walk right up to them, as there were dozens of guards at the bottom of the staircase. Instead, I went far off to the left. The view of the platform was almost completely obstructed from here, so it was almost deserted. I patted my side nervously, staring at the wall. There wasn't much of a choice here. Using some loose vines, I began heaving myself upwards, hoping the shadows concealed me.

I crouched at the top, crawling even further towards the tall wall gating the entire palace. With the sun's placement in the sky, I was nearly invisible here.

My heart was pounding. From my vantage point, I could distinctly see several dark figures lurking behind the large stone statues on either side of the palace doors. I couldn't be sure of which side they belonged to - but it was suspicious looking.

I desperately tried to make sense of the whole situation. Who would the Huns want to kill here, anyway? The emperor, of course. But why wait until now? In front of so many people, so many guards...it would make it that much more difficult.

_Who is this 'kid' that the scouts mentioned?_

My eyes fastened on Roxas. It was Roxas' troops who had "brought down" the Huns. It could have shamed the awesome reputation of the Huns - taken down by such a small group. What better way to fix that misconception by killing him? It was a sick revenge, but it made sense.

A plan was forming in my head. Staying close to the wall, I jogged forward. The wall ended abruptly; as it framed part of the large palace garden. Gritting my teeth, I leapt down on the other side of the wall; stumbling on my feet, I fell forwards onto a fern. I collected my breath, running my fingers once gingerly over my side. It hadn't started bleeding again, at least.

I slid backwards, crouching beside the fern. I couldn't just run up and warn the emperor that he was in terrible danger…first, I had no evidence. And why would they choose to believe a young girl who had once masqueraded as a male?

Just as this thought crossed my mind, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

_Oh, no…_

* * *

**Author's Note: **I had to update again (why do I kill myself like this? o_o). But this will be the last double-update. Not too many more chapters, so I think it'll be okay :D

Okay. I haven't slept in 28 hours. I think I better go to bed. Reviews, as always, are very appreciated. As are votes on the poll on my profile (it kinda-maybe has something to do with this story /cough/)


	36. The Emperor

**Naminé -_ The Emperor_**

* * *

Just as this thought crossed my mind, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

_Oh, no…_

"What are you _doing_ here?" An anxious voice asked.

"Naminé?" The hand spun me around, and I came face-to-face with Axel.

"Axel!" I paused, before throwing my arms around his neck - if anyone saw, I hoped they would assume it was an embracing couple. "There's no time to explain!" I pulled away, keeping my hands tight around his forearms.

"Explain what?" He was still looking at me with that strange light in his eyes. I finally bit.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine." Axel glanced behind me. He must also be nervous about being seen, and he pulled me back so we were half-hidden by a large fern. "I just didn't…didn't expect to see you."

"I know. I need to tell you something." I glanced around. The garden was quiet, the high wall lowering the crowds outside to a murmur. "Why are you out here, anyway?"

"Well, Roxas needed some support, and brought me as a guest to the ceremony. I was killing time out here. But…what are you_ doing_-?"

I shook my head quickly. "The group of Huns that were buried in the rockslide - including Shang Yu - survived. They survived, Axel." His eyes widened. "I saw the rocks where they had forced themselves out. I saw their footprints. They followed everyone here." I fought to keep my voice low. "I overheard a pair of scouts - are going to attack the emperor. And apparently they have someone on the inside…inside of the palace government, I guess. I have a feeling they're going to try to hurt Roxas! And anyone else out there! We need to stop them!"

Axel took a step backwards. "Naminé…you have proof? Because I don't think they'll listen to you - no offence, but with what you've been doing-"

I quickly shook my head. "That's why I need help. I don't know if I'll be able to ward them off alone." I cut him off as he started to speak. "You go look for some guards, to get some extra protection. I'm going to go ahead to where the emperor is."

"Wait, Naminé." He reached towards me, his voice urgent. "Maybe you shouldn't - if what you say is true, they'll have men-"

"I can still fight." I insisted. "Just because you _know _I'm a girl doesn't make me any less of a soldier."

Before he could respond, I darted off among the plants. I ran quickly through the garden, typing my hair up as I went.

* * *

I crept through yet another hallway, but there wasn't a guard to be seen. My only company were the numerous statues. My neck prickled in the silence, and I wished I had brought Axel with me. It was just too eerie. _Where is everyone? Shouldn't they be stationed _somewhere_ near the entrance?_

The cheering of the crowd outside grew as I neared the large doors to the outside. I jogged down to the left, ducking behind a large vase. I felt something behind me, and slowly turned. In that small space behind the vase, not a foot away from me, were at least seven guards. They were gagged, but their eyes were closed and their bodies limp. Not wanting to waste time, I decided there couldn't be much point in untying them in their unconscious state anyway.

After a moment of debate, I stooped and ripped off the gags anyway.

I paused. The moment of stillness allowed me to hear the footsteps. Grabbing one of the guard's weapons, a heavy stick about two feet long, I crouched in wait.

"There she is!" I heard someone say, and barely had time to react to the two men coming at me. I'll admit I was scared - there was no one who had my back this time - but I made myself think of it as training. I could hear Roxas' instructions in my head.

_"Just keep your eyes on your opponent. Inner strength is the key."_

It didn't take long to take the first one down; as he ran towards me, I threw myself down, swinging my leg out under his feet. He stumbled, hitting his head hard against the rock wall as he went down. I flinched at the crack. The second man, on the other hand, was much larger. I received a blow against the side of my face, and I skidded on the marble floor.

"Okay, that really hurt." I grumbled, rubbing it angrily, working my jaw as I took a gamble. I flung my weapon in his direction, and it hid him directly between his legs.

As he crumpled in pain, I used his defenseless stance to my advantage; with the help of one of the smaller vases lining the walls, I finally was able to knock him out.

The murmurs outside turned into a full-out cheer. I knew time was running out; there was something stirring out there. I headed back down the same hallway, to the large doors.

"Roxas!" I yelled, my jog turning into a sprint. As I flew out the door, I was filled with relief when I saw Roxas looking back at me. His jaw dropped; my feet caught on something, and I rolled onto my side, landing in a heap in front of both the emperor and Roxas. I raised my head, staring at the sheer multitude of people crammed into the palace grounds.

Not to mention most of China, it seemed.

"Nam-Naminé? What are you doing here?" Roxas asked, while the emperor - a surprisingly tall man, with a surprisingly long beard watched, a curious light in his eyes. I felt my mouth go dry.

His attention was caught by movement on the roof. Wordlessly, I spun around. Both Roxas and I slid into defensive stances as multiple figures emerged from the shadows, dropping one by one onto the ground. But one had already lunged forward, knife in hand, and there was no time to get out of the way.

I bent my body forward, pushing my shoulder forward as I slammed my body against the man's, and we tumbled forward; my lungs screaming in protest as he landed on my chest. Gasping for breath, I swiftly knocked the man out with the bottom of my stick, and rolled him off of me.

The next few minutes passed incredibly quickly, I almost have a hard time remembering it all. The vast crowds of civilians seemed to fade as I faced the Huns. I could see the guards making their way up the tall staircase, but there didn't seem to be any more approaching.

_Shouldn't there have been more? Or were they already taken care of? That would make sense why it was so easy to get in..._

There wasn't enough time to think it all through. I tossed Roxas my small sword attached to my hip as another masked man dove at him. I could hear the crowd's shouts of horror rise into screams.

_The emperor!_

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay, yes, I HATE WRITING ABOUT THEM FIGHTING. I just find it hard not to repeat myself. And it's hard to include enough detail so you know what's going on, but not _too _much that you take it away from the actual story ._. poop.

Also...yes, there would probably be more than just the emperor and Roxas up there. But...it just doesn't work. I apologize to the gods of reality!


	37. Shang Yu

**Naminé - _Shang Yu_**

* * *

I saw the emperor - unharmed - just as one of the Huns did. He was closer towards the unprotected man; but I knew I was faster. Since I had given my sword to Roxas, I didn't think I could beat him through confrontation.

"Your Highness! Please duck!" I yelled, giving him a moment to bow down before I once again threw the wooden bar. As his head bumped against the stone floor with a dull thunk, I knew he was out cold. _Okay, that's one down._

The attackers seemed to be trying to kill Roxas first - he was a bigger threat - but a few began to notice that we were swiftly taking them down. Roxas' sword was practically flying. Once Roxas would give them the initial strike, I would quickly knock them out with the heavy wooden stick. There was no time for words - there was a certain amount of trust passed between us.

_But they kept coming_. Even though they were in worse condition than us, they had the power of sheer numbers. We were too occupied with two or three men trying to slice us in two. Thankfully, more guards had arrived from the bottom, and they helped take down the attackers. I yelled for someone to take the Emperor to safety, but no one seemed to hear - and it was getting more and more difficult to center our strategies around him.

My spirit lifted momentarily, when I attained a bow and arrow from one of the men from the roof.

But it didn't last long. Only a minute later, Roxas yelled out, pointing towards the door to the palace.

While the other warriors had us distracted, Shang Yu himself had emerged, waving down from the rooftop. He had the emperor in a chokehold, and the elderly man was hanging limp. He watched us start forward, before swiftly retreating higher up onto the roof.

We both ran - passing the Huns, once again through the large doors. Roxas' breath was heavy.

"There's another way to the roof." He said, frowning. "The stairs farther down this way. We'll be able to attack him from both sides, that way."

I nodded, and Roxas glanced down. "I'll take the one on the right. I'm sure he's heading that way - you only attack if it's necessary." I knew at once he was thinking about my injury.

"Roxas - don't worry-"

Roxas cut me off with a squeeze of his hand. "I'll see you soon, Naminé."

"...Okay." We separated; I headed down another weaving maze of hallways to the left. I found the stairs, climbing up them while pressing my hand again to my side. There was a smear of blood left on my hand.

At the top of there stairs, I had to clamber up a short ladder. At the top, I pushed open the small doors. The breeze helped calm me as I carefully hoisted myself onto the small flat section of the roof. Palms stretched outwards, I edged carefully across the roof. I had to get to the main section as quickly as possible.

Shang Yu's large figure was straight ahead; his long cape, which I could only guess why he even had in the first place, fluttered behind him. He was standing on one of the palace balconies - a string of paper lanterns illuminating both him and the Emperor. I couldn't see Roxas, but I hoped he was somewhere near.

"I see you there, soldier." He suddenly yelled hoarsely, his head snapping in my direction. I froze in my place. "Just what do you think you're going to do? _Kill me?_"

I saw it then - movement on the roof. "Roxas." I said under my breath. _If only Shang Yu was...distracted. _

I shook off my nervousness, opening my mouth. "What makes you think you can win?" I said loudly, my voice shaking. "It's over, Shang Yu."

The man took a step towards the edge of the balcony, a sly smirk on his face. "It's not over until I say it is."

I crept closer. I spotted the jagged blade of his long dagger, attached to his belt. I attempted to goad him closer. I stood, swaying a bit in the wind. In the dim light, his eyes met mine.

"You're a girl." Shang Yu's tone sounded amused. "Even better, I suppose."

With a shake of my head, I pulled my hair up, tying it at the back of my head. I held my chin up as Shang Yu stared. Behind him, I saw Roxas drop silently onto the balcony, creeping towards the emperor.

"The soldier...from the mountains!" He roared. "_You're_ the one who-"

I nodded. "And I can do it again!" I called, letting confidence fill my voice. _Roxas just needs a few more seconds. _He was hoisting the emperor over his body, struggling to clamber back onto the roof, where he could take the man to safety.

With another angry yell, Shang Yu hoisted himself onto the railing, jumping forward onto the roof. For having such a large build, he was scarily limber on his feet. I felt my heart jumpstart, before I turned, fleeing as quickly as I could while managing to keep my balance on the roof. I was at the disadvantage; while I may have been lighter, three steps of mine were one for him. I could feel him getting closer, and forced myself to run, even though I continually felt myself losing balance.

"Are you suddenly afraid, warrior? Come back here and fight!" The footsteps thundered behind me. At one moment, I was jumping over the gap which led directly down into the gardens. The next, Shang Yu had shoved me, and I was falling forward much too soon.

With a yelp, I half-landed on the other side, my hands struggling to find purchase on the tiles. I skittered down, my chest aching as I shakily kept my grip. Shang Yu had jumped, and now stood in front of me, glowering.

"You look scared." He said quietly. And I w_as _scared - I was too far off the ground, and my arms were quickly tiring. To my surprise and fear, Shang Yu gripped my shirt, hauling me upwards. He jumped down to the flatter part of the roof. He held me off the surface with one fist, holding me over the other side of the roof. I felt dizzy; we were on one of the tallest points of the palace, overlooking the entire courtyard. In the crowds below, I heard the screaming as they saw my predicament.

"I want you to die by my own hands." Shang Yu spat. "And this way, all of China will be here to witness your death." He paused, glancing at my face. "The foolish woman who thought she could defeat me." His eyes gleamed.

"Naminé!" Shang Yu looked up, both of us staring as Roxas ran as fast as he moved towards them. "You put her down!" He yelled again, holding his sword in front of him. He looked more angry than I had ever seen. His chest was heaving, and his lips were in a tight line.

"And why should I?" Shang Yu replied. I felt his grip loosen on my shirt, and I fought back a whimper. Sweat coated my forehead as Shang Yu lowered me even further over the roof.

Roxas took a step forward. "I was the one who told her to do what she did! You accomplish nothing by killing her!" I squeezed my eyes shut. _There's no way he'll believe that._

Shang Yu looked thoughtful. "Or...I could just kill you both." As he uttered those words, I held my breath; with one swing, I heaved my right leg behind his knee, knocking him off balance. His grip went slack, and I swung myself forward onto the roof. I was breathless as I crawled a few feet away, silently reaching for the bow and arrow slung over my shoulder. It was a wonder it had kept in place.

Shang Yu looked back and forth between Roxas and me; I aimed the bow in his direction, while Roxas still claimed his sword.

There was a second where none of us moved. Then Roxas darted forward, with a speed I had never pegged him for, ducking under Shang Yu's swinging fists. Roxas, taking the sword, forced it between two tiles, where it stuck. He had stabbed it through the thick material of Shang Yu's cape.

"Kill him, Naminé!" He yelled, running towards me while Shang Yu pulled. _That's an order. _I breathed in slowly, holding my stomach in as I let my fingers go loose. The bow moved so quickly, Shang Yu had no time to move. It struck him directly between his armoured chest plates. As he sunk down onto his knees, a stricken look on his face... I couldn't help it.

I felt my body go limp.

* * *

**Author's Note: **You should all be very happy I wrote this "alternate-original" ending. : D I kiiiiiinda was going to have Naminé die.

FFnet was glitching for me earlier, and I couldn't publish this chapter, send PM's, etc. (which includes review replies). I'll try to catch up!

Okay - I figured I should talk a little bit about why I decided for Shang Yu to be killed this way. One, there is no Mushu in this story, so no way for him to be killed by fireworks. Two, I wanted Nam to use her bow&arrow skills a bit, since that's her "strong point". And three, no paper lantern in ancient China could be used as a zipline to escape XD


	38. On Both Sides

**Naminé - _On Both Sides_**

* * *

I awoke some time later – it hadn't been long – with Roxas kneeling beside me, patting my cheek softly. I looked around; we were sitting on that same balcony, where Shang Yu had held the Emperor in his keep.

I struggled for a moment, trying to sit up. "Roxas! The Emperor! Is he okay-" Roxas, pulling me quickly into a hug, gave a muffled answer.

"He's fine. He's fine." His hand ran across my spine. "Naminé. I-I can't believe you." He squeezed me tighter. "I really can't. You scared me."

I slowly exhaled, letting myself relax against him, for the first time. "I kinda scared myself." I admitted softly.

I didn't realize what was happening until his lips grazed my forehead. I tilted my head up slightly, so we touched. I felt weak, and lightheaded, but...

I was happy.

* * *

Roxas helped me down the stairs (I wasn't sure how he had managed to get me off the roof, and when I asked, he merely smiled and didn't reply) – we were met by the roar of the cheering crowd. The guards had evidently given up on trying to force everyone out, and left them to watch.

The Emperor, who was standing – looking to be in fine condition, except for the paleness of his skin – stepped forward.

"You are Naminé." His voice was deep, and I felt myself unable to reply. I nodded instead.

"You stole your father's armour. Ran away from home." His voice was patient, but had such a stern edge, I felt Roxas stiffen beside me. "You impersonated a male in my army."

He looked up at the palace roof briefly, before meeting my gaze. "And, for what you have done for all of China, I must thank you for it."

And I stared in shock as the Emperor stepped backwards, bowing low at the waist. I felt my heart begin to race as I turned to the side. In a great wave of gratitude, every single person who had been cheering momentarily before, joined him. Including Roxas.

In a few moments, the Emperor placed a shining gold medal hanging on a thick red ribbon over my head. Eyes tearing up, I bowed low in thanks.

Then another man walked up, telling the Emperor he should retire for the evening. He slowly walked away, and for a second, I had the urge to hug him tightly.

"Naminé -" Roxas began, but a small noise cut him off. Off to the side, two guards had a firm grip on the arms of the last Hun who was still conscious. His weapon was thrown off to the side.

I glanced at the sword, the light catching a small crest on the base. A small flame. My eyes wide, I looked up, catching sight of an intense green.

"W-Wait." I stumbled forward as the guards had begun to take him away. They paused, unsure of what I was doing. Even I wasn't completely aware of my actions. Reaching forward, my hand shook as I tugged on the cloth mask, and I winced as I pulled it off.

"N-No…Axel…"

I felt my knees weaken._ That's why he was acting so weird in the garden… _I stepped backwards shakily. "Axel? You're…you're…" For the first time, I saw pain overtake Axel, and his face crumpled at the corners.

"Naminé." His voice sounded regretful. "I'm not who you thought I was. I-I didn't want to…I swear…" He grimaced as I turned away.

"I won't say I understand, or forgive you." I said so quietly, I wasn't sure if he could even hear me. "But it was your duty as a soldier, to follow orders. You too, didn't have a choice."

He didn't reply.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I. HATED. THIS. CHAPTER. It gave me too much trouble! I'm so sorry for the crap-quality D: The next one will be better - Nam will be going home, and we'll see Sora again! Yippee!

And I was just becoming fond of Axel, too. -_-

Kudos to the people who guessed the double-agent was Axel! (Was FlowerLady-Aerith the only one? :O)

**Tell me who you originally thought the double-agent was. ^o^**

Or else.


	39. Reunion

**Naminé -_ Reunion_**

* * *

I was missing home.

I couldn't help it. I had been away for so long – I missed everything. I missed my mother's warm meals, and Kairi's companionship. I missed my walks in the garden. I even missed my classes!

Ever since we had found out about Axel's other side, Roxas had looked a bit lost. I wasn't sure how he was feeling – Axel _had_ been his best friend. He had truly trusted him, for so long. But after I first expressed my worry, Roxas had kept up a cheerful front. He brushed off any invitations to talk about it, and finally I decided it would be best not to mention it. Maybe it would be better if he simply...forgot.

I was reunited with the rest of the troops – Roxas insisted – and we were able to share a meal together. Sora, when he first saw me, hugged me for so long I felt shaky afterwards.

"I was so w-worried about you, Nami!" He said, crushing me tightly.

"Thank you, Sora." I murmured, hugging him back.

Vexen didn't attend the dinner.

* * *

Roxas had to go to his own home (in the opposite direction of mine) to attend the funeral for his father. Since we had decided, for now, not to tell anyone about _us_ being _together_, our parting had to professional.

He hugged me even more tightly than Sora.

"I'm going to miss you. But I'll come see you, soon." He had whispered in my ear.

"I'll be waiting," I replied, ignoring the sting behind my eyes.

* * *

Sora decided to accompany me on the trip home. He said he wanted to make sure I arrived safely, and I was thankful. The trip took another two days, and it was easier to stand with someone to talk to.

I grew excited as we neared my family's house. When I saw my father standing outside the gate, I couldn't stand to wait in the carriage. Not caring that we were still in motion, I quickly leapt out. He looked up in surprise as I ran towards him.

"Father!" I cried, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck. The familiar smell of incense and ink surrounded me.

"Naminé…we missed you…" His voice was shaken, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

"I'm sorry for leaving." I pulled away, taking the medal off from around my neck. "This is for you, father. It's a medal from the Emperor." I looked down, bowing my head. "I wanted to bring you, and our family, honour." I admitted.

My father, who had taken the medal with a look of wonderment, dropped it on the dusty ground. He pulled me tightly to his chest, stroking my hair gently.

"The greatest honour, Naminé...is having you for a daughter."

* * *

Soon, my entire family was around me. After the initial hugs and exclamations, my mother ushered us inside the house.

"You must be tired." She looked at me, thoughtful. "You certainly have changed, Naminé. You look..." She paused. "Strong."

She took my arm, and I felt my smile wobble as tears once again formed. It was so good to be home. Kairi, having heard the commotion, ran up and gave me a long hug. She took my other hand, and I looked her up and down.

"You've grown!" I told her. Her hair was longer, and she was almost as tall as I. Her eyes were more mischievous than ever, but she stopped short when she spotted Sora standing awkwardly behind us, a shy smile on his face.

"That's Sora. You can say hello." I told her quietly, and red crept down her cheeks. When Sora spotted her, I saw his eyebrows fly up. I realized with a start that the two of them were only a year apart…and by the way that Sora was staring at Kairi…

I looked away with a smile.

"I missed home so much." I told my mother. To be honest, I wasn't sure what I should say to my parents. Would they be proud of what I did? Or think it was – foolish?

"There's so much I want to talk to you about…" She replied. "But-"

"Naminé." A stern voice interrupted her. I turned to face my grandfather, who was staring at me stone-faced from the other side of the room. He hadn't come outside to greet me like the others.

I crossed the room, and kissed his cheek politely. "Grandfather-"

"You weren't killed." He was never one to beat around the bush.

"Quite the opposite." I was no longer intimidated by his cold exterior. Going against bloodthirsty men in the middle of nowhere does that to you. "I finally feel alive." I said quietly. _He's just a stubborn old man._

"That's…" He paused. "Good. You weren't very happy before."

Surprised, I nodded. "I suppose I wasn't."

"You have more courage than I expected, Naminé." He waved dismissively. "Now go talk with your mother. She missed you."

"Thank you, grandfather." I leaned over to hug him, surprising the both of us.

_I'm home._

* * *

**Author's Note:** As you can probably tell by the many breaks in this chapter, it's the filler-monologue kinda part of the "movie". It moves quickly over Nam going home, reuniting with her family etc. Then in the next scene/chapter, we'll pick back up into more thoughts and details. ^-^

I'm glad you're all enjoying the story. We're almost at the end!


	40. How It Ends

**Naminé - _How It Ends_**

* * *

The days passed slowly. I gradually slipped back into my old routine - to an extent. It was as if on my journey, I had grown out of my home. I wasn't content to stay cooped up, and after a talk with my parents, we came to an agreement. As long as I completed my studies, I was allowed to help with the market shopping, or go on trips into town. I showed Sora around, and he seemed to fit right in.

"Kairi is really nice." Sora commented lightly as we took a walk through through my family's garden - past the familiar temple and statues, where it had all started. My mother had finally persuaded Sora to stay at our house for a few more nights, which Kairi seemed happy about.

"I know." I laughed, reaching to touch a budding flower. "You two seem to be getting along well." Sora blushed, and I giggled again. "Be careful though. Her father is very strict."

"Oh, I know." He was silent for a moment. "I'm thinking about getting some work in the city. I would be able to visit often."

"Visit me, or Kairi?" I teased.

"Both." He assured me, and we continued across the bridge. We saw Kairi walking out of the small house ahead, and Sora smiled.

"Naminé! Sora!" She quickened her pace. As she began speaking, her toe caught on the edge of the rock bed, and she stumbled. I saw Sora start forward, grabbing her arm even though she straightened herself without a problem.

"Thanks." She smiled, while he just grinned back at her. I coughed quietly, and Kairi looked back to me with patches of pink on her cheeks.

"Oh - your mother asked if you could feed the fish in the far pond near the cherry blossoms." She held out a small container, and I nodded before taking it.

"I haven't been there yet." I said happily. "I hope they're still in bloom."

Kairi nodded. "Last I saw, they were."

"I'll go with you, Nam." Sora suggested, but Kairi tugged on his arm.

"I need some help with my chores, Sora. Come on." She laughed softly as she pulled him away. I waved once, before turning. It felt _different,_ to be wearing a long robe. I had taken a liking to the simpler designs, with lighter material and soft details. I crossed back over the bridge, moving slowly, admiring the long grass swaying gently.

It took a few minutes to cross the gardens, until I reached the blossoms. They were still in bloom, wide pink petals spreading from the small bud. A few had drifted onto the grass, and I scooped a fresh one off the ground. I stroked it with my finger gently.

Then, to my surprise, another hand reached reached forward, gently taking the flower out of my palm.

I looked up, and fought back a gasp.

His other hand touched the bottom strands of my hair. "Your hair is longer, Naminé." He said, a small smile gathering.

My insides burst into warmth; Roxas was looking bright and healthy, his hands soft against mine. The odd sensation burned stronger as he leaned closer. For once, he wasn't wearing his armour. He was in simple clothing, but they made his eyes look more blue than ever.

I hadn't realized it had been so long. I didn't know how much I had missed him.

"Well, my mother would never let me keep it short." And with a gleeful laugh, I threw my arms around his neck, squeezing tightly. "What are you doing here?" I asked after a moment of embracing.

"I said I would visit, didn't I?" He took a breath. "I wanted to come earlier, but there was no way I could leave home so soon."

I stroked the soft hair at the base of his neck. "But you _did_ come - and that's all that matters." I said back, feeling a bit bashful as his thumb rubbed against my cheek. With impossible fluidness, Roxas pulled me closer, kissing me with a gleam in his eyes.

He led me back to the bench, and we sat; with his feet set a foot apart, hands resting on his knees, I couldn't help but notice how sturdy he was. There was no unsureness in his stance, or hesitance in his voice as he turned to me.

And for the first time, we spoke as a man and a woman. There were no more secrets, or lies. It was just me and him.

* * *

"Sometime after you came, I think I knew. But I just found the whole thing unbelievable. A girl - infiltrating the army? How would it be possible? Especially someone as young as you." He chuckled, catching my hand in his. I laughed along, feeling pleasure bubble under my skin as his gaze lingered on my lips.

"I had trouble coming to terms with it myself." I looked at the water, where I had already tossed the food for the fish. "But I'm glad it happened, even in the way it did…I think, I became my own person."

"You certainly did." He said it with such warmth that I had to repeat it twice in my head.

"You surprised me, Namine. You surprised everyone." When I didn't say anything, he continued, "No matter how you appear, you _are _strong. And you earned everything you received. You're talented, and beautiful. You're the kind of person who I feel as if I can tell you anything. You fight _really_ well." He took a deep breath. "And you make me so happy."

He grinned - that bashful, shy grin - and looked at our entwined fingers. "Who would have thought that I would end up falling in love with a soldier in the imperial army."

I didn't need to reply. I had leaned forward, lightly kissing him, with my other hand resting on his arm.

"I'm happy you did."

After that, there were no need for words. We were together.

It was as simple as that.

* * *

**THE END**

* * *

**Author's Note: **...So, in other words - they totally made out. XD. /cough/ JOKING ASIDE:** I am truly happy** that this story had so many readers! As I write this, this story managed to receive 339 reviews (so not including reviews for this last chapter), 13,300+ hits, and over 60 favourites! ^-^ My most successful story, by far!

I've really enjoyed writing it. I'm glad everyone stuck by my insanely short chapters. I _won't_ be posting the (sad) alternate ending, though I may put some of it on my tumblr (link on my profile. 'Tis very inactive).

I finished this right on time - I'm going to school next week, and have lots to do. I wanted to write a happy ending, mostly because I didn't feel comfortable with posting a sad ending to such a long story (I remember reading and reading this 30+ chapter Kyo/Tohru, and Tohru ended up going with the other guy...)

Anyway - I appreciate any reviews, of what you thought of my redo of Mulan :D thanks to everyone for the support. It makes it all worth it *tears*


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